Don't Play by the Rules
by Ayriel
Summary: AU. To discover the cause of her mother's suspicious death, Ran enlists the help of friends new and old and assumes an identity that hasn't been seen by the world for over eight years. Can she undo the wrongs of the past, or will she only make it worse?
1. Like the Blade of a Knife

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Detective Conan. All characters are Gosho Aoyama's.

**A/N: **June 3, 2008: This is version two of chapter one. Looking back, chapters one and two were the weakest out of them all, so I decided to revamp them a little. They're longer and more detailed now. If you read the first version, it's not necessary to read the new one – there aren't any significant new plot points or whatever – but I'd like it if you did so anyway. ;)

--------------------

_She grunted as she slammed against the wall, and then she crumbled harmlessly to the floor. She looked up at her attackers with anguish, seeing the murderous intent in their eyes. Shakily, she got to her feet and stood to face them head on. "You won't get away with this," she hissed, clenching and unclenching her fists. "My partner will find me. I will be saved." The man with the blond hair shook his head and chuckled. Seeing his disregard for her words, the woman changed her tune. "I will be avenged."_

"_Jus' tell us where it is," the other man – a short, dark skinned man – said, his beady eyes hidden by dark sunglasses. "And you'll live for a little while longer. Maybe."_

_For a long time, she said nothing. She simply stared at the bare warehouse walls around her; her mind frantically searching for a solution. There wasn't one. She was going to die, and there wasn't anything she or anyone could do to stop it. _

"_I'll take that as a 'no'," Gin said, and he ushered his subordinate out of the icy cold, darkened room. The metal door shut with a reverberating bang. The woman frowned at the door for a long moment before she started pacing. There was a metallic scraping noise above her, but she ignored it in favor of the frantic jumble of her mind _

"_Bourbon," She whispered longingly. "Bourbon. Where are you?" The scraping noise got louder still, and she looked up. Her eyes widened in the dark, and the sound of glass breaking echoed all around her. She shouted out in pain as something heavy and metal hit her over the head, and she fell to the ground. Countless fragments of plastic and metal and shards of glass dug into her flesh, and despite her desire to constrain them, the tears began flowing. _

"_I'm sorry everyone," she whispered. She couldn't move now. She was paralyzed from whatever had hit her. "I'm sorry…" The darkness began spiraling around her, but she fought it off. Eri wasn't going to die just yet. Not until she could see him…_

"_I know you'll take care of things," she whispered with a shaky smirk. "Promise me you'll look over them… protect her, protect her…"_

_And then, in the dark and utterly alone, she fainted. _

---------------------

"_**The fastest way to succeed is to look as if you're playing by somebody else's rules, while quietly playing by your own." – Michael Konda**_

---------------------

**Don't Play by the Rules**

Chapter 1: Like the Blade of a Knife

---------------------

The door slammed shut behind her. "Daddy! I'm home, daddy!"

Ran dropped her school bag by the front door and waited for her father's answering call, but there was no reply. She kicked off her shoes and looked around uncertainly. From the moment she had walked through the door, the nine year old had gotten a bad feeling. The apartment was unusually dark, despite it being in the middle of the afternoon. All the blinds were pulled closed -only a glimmer of pale yellow light from the outdoors trickling through. Surely even the hopeless Kogoro would bother to open the shades to let some light in. Ran frowned and groaned in annoyance as she spotted Kogoro's belongings strewn over the floor: his coat, his shoes, his tie. His house keys and the contents of his wallet littered the floor amongst his clothes.

'_He's_ _probably drunk'_, thought Ran, as she groaned again and rolled her eyes. Oh, well. Probably should wake him up and get out the aspirin.

Ran moved down the entry hall with a sigh, picking up clumps of trash and empty beer cans as she went. Approaching the kitchen, she saw a flickering blue light coming from the living room, indicating that the television was on. No surprise, there. One thing worried her, however, and that was the silence. Who turned on the TV, only to keep it muted? Nearing it, Ran was surprised to see the screen displaying nothing but static. Standing by the head of the couch, Ran stared at her father's back, his form stiff and straight as a board.

"Daddy?" Ran took small, hesitant steps toward Kogoro, frightened by his silence. She peeked over at his face. His eyes were misty and glazed as he stared at the screen, seeing nothing. He didn't blink, nor did he make any noise or action to acknowledge his daughter's presence. His dress shirt was unbuttoned and wrinkled beyond recognition. "Are you okay, Daddy?" Ran's voice was urgent, reaching a high-pitched note that only a child could accomplish. Finally, Kogoro Mouri turned towards his daughter. Ran gasped at the bloodshot, haunted look on his face. Her nose wrinkled involuntarily at the heavy stench of alcohol and cigarette smoke wafting off of his skin and clothes. She was probably becoming intoxicated just by standing there. Even so, drinking and smoking were very regular activities for the detective. Ran was still unsettled by his weird behavior, but his vices were a bit of normalcy that she grasped desperately onto.

"_Daddy!_" She scorned. "What have you been doing? Are you sick? Did you get a really bad hangover again? Mommy's-" Kogoro flinched slightly at the mention of his wife, "-Gonna be SO angry at you when she finds out!" Ran - in her righteous fury - pressed the back of her hand against her father's forehead, checking for a fever. His skin was slick with sweat, but his temperature was somewhat normal. With a disapproving look and a shake of her head, Ran backed away and headed back to the kitchen to fetch her father a glass of ice water.

"Ran…" Kogoro's voice was cracked from disuse, as well as from the burn of alcohol he'd been pouring down his throat. Nonetheless, Ran heard, and she turned her head to indicate that she was listening. Kogoro cleared his throat and tried again. "Ran, about your mother-"

"I was just kidding, Daddy," Ran said with a gentle smile. "I won't tell on you. Mommy would just worry too much." She frowned, pondering. "She's been really upset about something, lately."

Kogoro sucked in a breath. That was the last straw. Without his permission, tears leaked from his eyes, strangled noises emitted from his throat. He hid his head in the crook of his arm and sobbed. Ran froze, eyes widening.

At nine years old, her family was her rock. Her father was who she depended on to be strong and consistent for her. Never, in the nine years she'd been living, had she seen her father cry. Get angry, yes, and often, but sorrow was something Kogoro Mouri just did not allow himself to show. If ever there was a time when he succumbed to such emotions, he must've done it in the privacy of his room, because Ran had never known of it. She was far from being stupid – Shinichi's intelligence was contagious, it seemed – so it didn't take long for her to connect the dots. Her father had lost it at the mention of her mother. Something was wrong, and now that she thought of it, Eri should've been home hours ago.

"D-Daddy… where's Mom?"

Kogoro eyed her quietly for a moment, as if he was struggling with the right words to use while talking to her. When he did speak, his voice was raw with untold emotion. "She's gone, Ran." His hands began trembling, and pain was evident in his eyes. "Your mom… Eri is dead."

Ran's breath left her in a whoosh, and she fell to her knees in front of her father. Kogoro sobbed harder. Her lip trembled and her body surged with an infinite pain. Please, gods, let it not be true. But her dad would never lie to her; not about something like this. Ran had seen her mom just the other night, when she had sung lullabies to lull her to sleep. But a lot could happen in 24 hours.

Ran hid her face in Kogoro's lap, her hand clutching her chest. The pain had sliced through her; like the blade of a knife, digging until the wound bleeds.

--------------------

The hallway echoed with the sound of running footsteps, accented by the click of high-heels. Shouts carried off from behind as the lithe figure ran. They were gaining, and fast. But the thief didn't panic; instead, a delighted grin spread across her face, her eyes dancing with the thrill of a good challenge. She chuckled as she darted around a corner and hurried up the building's roof. She threw the door open and it banged against the brick wall.

Stepping out into the open, the cool breeze greeted the thief, sending tendrils of chocolate brown hair fluttering gently against her face. She sighed approvingly, closing her eyes to the wind as she basked in the refreshing feeling it gave her. The air was filled with the comforting scents of autumn; crisp, golden leaves and sweet, fresh pine. High above the city streets, the sounds of speeding cars and chaotic civilians barely reached her. For a moment it was just her and her alone, and she reveled in it. The peace was short lived, however.

Footsteps thundered up the staircase behind her. Yelled a very familiar and pissed-off inspector: "Damnit! Surrender already, Psiren!" She smiled briefly as she turned around. Apparently, quite a few officers had chased her up to the top of the skyscraper. At least a dozen men and women stood before her, many of them leaning over and panting from the energy it had taken to run up there. _'I wonder,' _the girl thought wryly, as she felt her brows rise slightly. _'Did they even once consider using an elevator?'_ Inspector Megure gave the signal, and guns were pointed at her from all angles. The thief's blank expression did not change. She was confident in the fact that they wouldn't injure her. Too much to have on their conscience.

She winked and stuck her tongue out at them. "Mou… come on, Megure-keibu! You really don't think you can catch me, do you? But…" She let out a seductive purr. "I have always loved the thrill of a good chase." A rush of heat warmed the inspector's face, but whether it was from anger or lust; it was hard to tell. He quickly turned on his men. "What the hell are you waiting for, an invitation?" He pointed blatantly at the woman. "GET HER!" The burglar watched amusedly as they stumbled towards her. Wide, anxious eyes watched her from all sides. Everyone seemed unsure of what she would do next, and when she did do whatever it was, they didn't want to be the ones who got in the crossfire.It was quite pathetic, really.

"I'm terribly sorry, gentlemen," she said, and she appealed the frustrated officers with a mock-bow. "But I really must be going. I have a priceless gem and your dignity that I plan to escape off with." She flicked her wrist, showing off a small smoke bomb that had appeared out of nowhere. "Buh-bye!" She winked again and made a show out of blowing them a kiss just as the object dropped to the floor and enveloped everyone and everything in thick, dark smoke. The scene was utter chaos as the cops, in their haste to blindly chase after the thief, ran right into each other. Megure groaned as he covered his face with his hands. Idiots, the whole lot of them. He needed a drink and an officer with competence.

Of course, things down on the ground weren't too much better. At least, that's what the police would say. Having just seen their idol whiz by on a hang glider, the rabid fangirls (and boys; but they _certainly _weren't admiring her just for her skills…) were talking animatedly about how strong and independent the Psiren was… or, how her skintight outfit perfectly accentuated all of her curves.

And yet, a mile or so away and about ten minutes later, the woman who had stirred up so much commotion was cursing loudly to herself, having just realized that the precious gem she held in her hands was NOT the one she was so actively searching for.

"Just a little bit longer," she whispered, reaching up to pull off the mask that covered her eyes and half her face. Ethereal depths of cerulean blue shone with determination, cool air drying the beads of sweat trickling down her skin. Now that she wasn't working off of an adrenaline rush, her outfit left much to be desired in regards to keeping her warm. The skintight white leather pants worked well enough, but the white cotton halter left her shivering. "I promise," she said solemnly, with a fierceness one wouldn't suspect from someone so young and seemingly carefree. "I promise that I'll avenge you… mother."

Blue eyes stared out at the city, and just for a moment, Psiren the Phantom Thief became the ordinary high school student, Ran Mouri.

XXXXXX

Story Notes: Here are a list of Japanese terms that will be useful for you to know throughout this story. Please forgive me for any slight inaccuracies, as I'm only a student of the language myself.

**-chan: **Suffix used as a term of endearment. Usually used between close female friends or when referring to small children.

**-kun: **Suffix used for boys/men your age or younger that you are close to.

**-niichan: **Informal term for "Older brother"

**-neechan: **Informal term for "Older sister"

**-san: **Equivalent to the word "Mrs." Or "Mr." in English.

**-han: **Kansai (Heiji's dialect) equivalent to the word "-san".

Also, in case you're reading/watching the America version of DC/CC: **Shinichi **= Jimmy; **Ran** = Rachel; **Heiji** = Harley;** Kazuha** = Katie; **Kogoro** = Richard; **Megure** = Meguire; Kaito = er, Kaito; XD If you have any questions about any of this, please feel free to leave a comment. In fact, leave a comment anyway. XDD

**AN:** Wow, this was predictable. Who figured out that it was Ran? Show of hands? Yup, thought so. But there shall be _twists _I tell you! Evil, wicked twists that will make you seethe with anger and jump for joy at the same time.

…And did anyone recognize the name I used? Psiren? That's 'cause it's from Fullmetal Alchemist – one of the bestest anime shows EVA! (Next to Detective Conan, of course) Ahem… anyway, ignoring my shameless plug for FMA... It's in episode 26, if I remember correctly. My lack of creativity has led me to borrow names from other people. Uh… huzzah? -.-


	2. Black and White

**Disclaimer: **Detective Conan isn't mine.

**A/N: **Hi, Ayriel here. I figured I needed to start working on this fanfic again, seeing as I've been all concentrated on other stuff lately. I am sad, however, that I only have one reviewer. Come on, people! It takes all of two seconds, and it really helps me out.

And to that one reviewer: thank you, **Fyliwion**! Just 'cause you left me a review, this chapter is dedicated to you.

June 3, 2008: Small revisions here and there. :)

**Don't Play by the Rules**

Chapter 2: Black and White

A stainless steel pot sat on the stove, its contents simmering and bubbling gently as the sweet smell of chocolate wafted through the air. Ran hovered nearby, wearing an irritated expression as her brows creased in concentration. She made quite the scene; a teenage girl with a dangerous glint in her eye, wearing a pink frilly apron and attempting to melt chocolate at five in the morning. Extra emphasis on the word, _attempting_. She'd already ruined two batches. Both kitchen windows had been opened all the way, so Ran could try to get rid of the disgusting burnt chocolate smell. So far it hadn't been working. For her father, it was pretty normal, and to be expected that he wouldn't be able to cook something decent and creative. His cooking prowess went as far as a cup of instant ramen or a decent rice meal, every once in a while. For Ran, though… it was just annoying. She wanted to kill something now, you see; to get rid of all this frustration. Her dad was a detective; she knew plenty of effective ways to hide a body. They'd never even suspect innocent ol' Ran… well, as innocent as a seductive, rowdy, phantom thief could get. But she was the only one of two people who knew about that, anyway, so that didn't get count. For someone who had been basically been raised on her own cooking, this event was to say the least, embarrassing. If Ran had to make guesses, she would have to say that her current conundrum was caused by insistent nervousness. Her heartbeat quickened at the mere thought of who and what she was going through all this trouble for.

If he didn't appreciate it, she may just have to kill him.

"Listen, _you_…" Ran pointed a shaking, angry finger at the chocolate. "Don't make this harder than it has to be! Just melt right and there won't be any problems, damnit!"

"_burble…gurgle,_" said the chocolate in reply.

Ran's eyes became mere slits as she scooted closer to the pot and leaned over to inspect it. The smell was tantalizing, and the chocolate was a perfect, milky brown. No problems whatsoever. Her eyes lit up and she began laughing loudly in relief. "Haha! Take _that_, you evil chocolate!" And she didn't stopped laughing, even as the chocolate cooled and she began molding it into cute, little heart shapes. The chocolate hearts turned out to be as big as her inner palm, and she wrapped each of about a dozen in soft pink tissue paper and nestled them into personal boxes. Before she stored them, however, she took a knife from the kitchen drawer and with careful precision, cut a small kanji symbol into each heart. 'Loyalty,' said one. 'Friendship,' said another. She moved down the line of delicious confections slowly, desiring perfection. Once she reached the last heart, Ran blushed. Her knife remained poised over the gleaming chocolate for several seconds before she finally made up her mind.

'Love,' she carved, brushing away the excess chocolate crumbs after she finished. There, perfect.

Ran smiled gently, standing back to enjoy her work. "Ran Mouri, you are a creative genius!" She laughed and continuing to package her treats.

Kogoro peeked cautiously in the kitchen, his nose wrinkling at the odd mixture of good and bad smells in the air. He was relieved to find everything in one piece, but slightly chagrined that his daughter was disturbing his drunken slumber so early in the morning. And then she had the nerve to be laughing…! "Women…" He mumbled as he slunk away to collapse back onto the couch. Damn, what a time to quit smoking.

--

As always, winter in Tokyo was fairly moderate. There wasn't a spot anywhere that wasn't blanketed with a thin layer of the powdery white stuff. Though the sun was brightly shining, icy winds sliced the air every now and then, but despite the weather conditions, the atmosphere was quite cheery. The streets were bustling with people and the sounds of city life. And after a long day of learning at Teitan High School, finally the school bell rang. Ran met up with Sonoko at the main gates and chatted for awhile, intent on waiting for Shinichi, _wherever_ he was right now. She hadn't seen him since lunch, and Ran felt ignored. As she glanced around, looking for him, she fidgeted. Maybe it wasn't that he was running from _her_, but that she was running from _him. _Ran chuckled at something Sonoko had said and pressed her hand against the reassuring weight in her coat pocket. Sonoko noticed the movement and frowned.

"Ugh. You made one for _him_ too, didn't you?" Ran blushed, but nodded, and Sonoko groaned. "Honestly, Ran, you're too good for him."

"Stop teasing me, Sonoko! It took me a really long time for me to work up the courage to even do this. At least you can be supportive."

Sonoko snorted, but her eyes softened. "Of course I'm supportive, Ran-chan! You and that detective idiot are made for each other..."

"Hey!! Ran!"

Ran whirled on her heel and stared at the approaching figure. She broke out into a grin as she saw her childhood friend jogging towards her, his school bag slung over his shoulder and banging against his knee. His expression was one of pure, unabashed mirth. "Shinichi!" She giggled lightly as he slid to a stop in front of her, nearly tripping on the ice. He opened his mouth to say something, but she beat him to it. "I heard the good news! Conan's coming to visit from America. I'm so happy for you!"

Shinichi faltered, but only slightly. "Aww… who told you?" He glanced over at Sonoko and nodded. "Hey, banshee," he mumbled dryly. "I didn't know you were here today - I couldn't hear you from the soccer field like I usually can."

"Detective moron!" Sonoko quipped, turning her nose up at him. "Seriously, Ran, I just don't see... anyway, I have, like, a million things to do this afternoon. I'll catch up with you later, Ran." She exchanged pleasantries and walked toward the limo waiting for her at the curb. "Good luck, Ran! Call me tonight with _all_ the details!!" Ran went pink, but she nodded.

Shinichi's brows furrowed. "What was that all about?" They began walking side by side as Sonoko's car drove away, leaving the schoolyard behind and beginning the short trek home.

Ran shrugged. "I don't know," she mumbled. "You never know, with Sonoko." Shinichi agreed wordlessly. "...Anyway, back to the matter at hand: Congratulations on the big news! I'm glad you're parents finally trust you enough to have Conan stay with you all year."

"Geez, Ran, you ruined the surprise. Who told you?"

Ran shook her head in disbelief. "_You_ did, Shinichi. You've only mentioned it a hundred times since you found out last week." She laughed. "As if I couldn't figure it out anyway! You can't keep that goofy smile off your face!"

Shinichi folded his hands behind his head and chuckled. "Come on, Ran, you know you're obsessed just as much as I am. You smother Conan more than our own mom does. That says a lot, you know."

Ran rolled her eyes playfully, ignoring him. "He's staying until the next semester begins, right? That should be fun. It's been ages since I've seen your little brother." A question suddenly came to mind. "…Why did you decide to stay behind when your parents moved to America, anyway? Especially if that meant you couldn't see Conan as much." The Detective Agency appeared just beyond the horizon. They probably would've reached it by now, if not for the fact that they were walking so slowly, enjoying each other's company too much to let it end. "He adores you, Shinichi."

Shinichi shrugged. "Why leave? I'm the famous teenage detective here in Japan. There aren't any fangirls waiting for me in the states." Ran narrowed her eyes and opened her mouth, only to be cut off. "Besides… I couldn't leave my good friend Ran here all by herself, could I?" He gave her a sincere look, but then ruined the effect by winking. "Gotta look out for ya, you know."

Ran's face exploded in a heat of crimson. "Uh…" Subconsciously she pressed her fingers against the outside of her pocket, feeling for the lump inside. Her stomach did little flip-flops as she swallowed and steeled herself for what she was going to do. Ran seriously considered backing out because of nervousness, but seeing the curious expression on her friend's face... wow, she loved his eyes... she decided that it was best to get it out of the way. Better than having to worry about it for even longer. She doubted she'd ever be fully prepared for what the consequences might be.

_Do it now, Ran, _Her conscience barked at her.

"Um… Shinichi?"

Ran quickly averted her eyes as Shinichi stared at her curiously. He watched as she nervously plucked a small _something_ from her coat, fidgeting with it behind her back. Even being right next to her, Shinichi had no idea what it was.

"Hmm?" His eyebrows shot to the top of his head, hidden by the mass of bangs. "Hey, what's up, all the sudden? You're acting weird, Ran. Well, more so than usual." Shinichi and Ran came to a stop at the foot of the agency stairs, facing each other. A sudden blast of cold wind sent icy cold seeping in through her jacket. She wrapped her arms tightly around herself to try to keep warm, though she was obviously shivering.

Shinichi frowned slightly. "You're cold." It was a statement, not a question. "We should get you inside. It's getting late now, anyway…"

"No, Shinichi. I, um… wanted to give you something." Shinichi opened his mouth to protest, but Ran interjected. "It can't wait." Shinichi frowned in confusion, but nodded. Sighing, Ran pulled her gloved, fisted hand out in front of her, opening her palm to reveal a small, plain wrapped box with a red ribbon on it. "Here," she said gruffly, shoving it into his hands. Turning so that her back was to him, she waited anxiously for him to open it.

Shinichi rolled it around a couple of times in his hands, eyeing Ran's back a few times. He slid a finger under the ribbon and yanked it free, and then pulled the cardboard box open. The tissue paper he parted easily; it was the thing inside that puzzled him. A single, heart-shaped piece of chocolate sat innocently in the box. Somehow, it even had the kanji for love inscribed in the surface, an enigma in itself. Shinichi looked puzzled for a moment and then mentally kicked himself for forgetting what day it was.

February 14th. Valentine's Day.

His eyes softened. "Ran…"

"…I know it's kind of sudden and all, and it'd be a little weird, with us being best friends and all…" Ran stared down at her hands as she took a deep breath and closed her eyes. Finally gathering the courage, she turned around and faced him. "What I mean, is… Shinichi, I... I love you," She blurted, blushing deeper. "I... I've been feeling this way about you for a while now, but I could never bring up the courage to say anything. But now... now I want us to be more than friends." She looked up at him through her eyelashes. "Shinichi... will you accept my chocolate?"

An uncomfortable silence passed by on Ran's part as she waited nervously for his answer. She kept her eyes to the ground at all times, so it surprised her when she found her package placed in her palms. She gave Shinichi a wide-eyed look.

Shinichi had the mind to look sheepish and a little guilty. "...I'm really sorry, Ran, but I can't say I feel the same. You're my best friend; I just don't see you that way." He gave an apologetic little smile and squeezed her hand lightly. "I'm sorry," he said quickly, wanting more than anything to get himself out of this situation. "I hope we can still be close…" With one last meaningful, embarrassed look in her direction, he turned and walked away, leaving Ran with a broken heart and a trail of tears.

--

Jyuuzou Megure, to say the least, was having good day. And he didn't use those words very lightly, either.

After the Phantom Thief heist had taken place a few weeks ago, the Psiren had yet to deliver news of an up and coming performance. And she wouldn't actually be stupid enough to hold one during _winter, _would she? Not with that skimpy outfit she wore. Then again, he certainly wouldn't put it past her. Regardless, he wasn't going to let some cocky kid get him down. Nope, he was going to spend this one slow day of work relaxing for once. Maybe he'd get a cup of decaf from the break room and watch the baseball game that was coming on later. That Hideo guy sure could hit.

At least, that's what his plans were, until he entered his office and saw the tell-tale piece of paper stuck to the window. A small caricature grinned up at him from the sheet, winking. _'Hello, Megure-keibu,'_ it practically screamed at him. _'Thought I'd let you go easy, didn't you? What a washed up fool you are! Haha!'_

Megure closed his eyes as an angry vein throbbed in his forehead. Be calm, he told himself. He had to learn to control his anger... think of the positives. Okay... being on the Phantom Thief taskforce supplied a large percentage of his salary. He wouldn't have been able to buy his new house if not for his latest advance. Yes, Psiren was constantly making him look like a fool in front of the world, but that was okay, too. With every loss, he only got stronger...

_'Oh, screw this!'_ Megure grimaced. What the hell was he talking about?! There were _no_ positives to this situation! He kicked his office door open and stormed in. In the hallway right outside, his colleagues stood, waiting for the fireworks.

Wataru stared into his coffee, silently counting. 1...2...3...

"GODDAMNIT!" Megure roared, and something thudded against the floor. Wataru flinched and stared with worried eyes at his fellow detective, Satou.

Whoo, boy. It was going to be a long, long night...

--

Ran's eyes drifted closed as she desperately tried to ignore the person sitting next to her. It was nearing night, and the streetlights had even begun to cut on. And yet she was still sitting here in an empty park, with too many problems and not nearly enough time. _'I already have a heist to prepare for, now I have to deal with _this_?'_ _This_ happened to be Sonoko, who was currently interrogating her about something she didn't want to talk about in the first place. Ran sighed and steeled herself for a long lecture. As soon as Ran had told her about the 'V-Day Incident', as she and Sonoko had taken to calling it, her friend would not let her rest until she told her every excruciating, heartbreaking detail about her exchange with Shinichi. So far, Ran had been through it three times. Whatever happened to tact, she wondered? With a sigh, finally Ran resigned herself to the belief that Sonoko just didn't have any.

Sonoko didn't disappoint. "So you mean he just _ditched_ you? Just like that? Argh… Ran, I don't know what you see in him! That stupid, insensitive idiot! There are guys at our school that are like, ten times cuter, but what you seen in _him_? I have _no _clue!"

Ran groaned, leaning her head back against the park bench. It was cold to the touch. Couldn't they discuss this inside!? "Sonoko, it's not that big a deal. If he didn't feel the same way, what else could he have done?"

"Ran, how could you even say that? It's obvious that he feels _something_ for you; he practically growls at every boy who even looks at you the wrong way."

"But Sonoko, that's not love. He's not in love with me. That's a protective best friend with an older brother complex."

Sonoko narrowed her eyes. "Really? And how do you know for sure?"

"Because… I just know. Besides, if he thought that way about me, why would he have been hanging around after school yesterday kissing Kimiko?" There was no bitterness in her words; only what Sonoko believed to be dejection. Ran waited for a loud, outraged reply, but nothing came. There was only silence.

Sonoko bit her lip, thinking her next words over carefully. "Uh… Kimiko? Kimiko Aikazawa, from Class 1-B?"

"Yeah."

More silence.

"…That bitch."

Surprised by her friend's bluntness, Ran busted out laughing. "Come on, Sonoko! That's not very nice! Let's get going; the only reason I told you I'd meet you this late was because you promised to treat us to ice cream." She stood up, yanking her friend up with her. Ran started off at a slow pace, heading for the neighborhood ice cream parlor with Sonoko trailing behind, oddly pensive.

"Uh… Ran?" Her voice was so quiet Ran almost didn't catch it.

She turned her head a little to show she was listening. "Hmm?"

"So you are okay, right?" Her eyes voiced her deep concern. "I mean…"

"I'm fine, Sonoko. Shinichi's still my friend, 'kay? I wouldn't wanna ruin our friendship over something stupid like that." Sonoko opened her mouth to protest, but Ran waved her off. "No, no! I don't wanna hear it! I know what I'm doing." She let go of Sonoko's hand and continued walking, casting a smile and a 'hurry up!' over her shoulder before disappearing around the corner.

It was quite a while before Sonoko finally snapped out of her reverie and raced after Ran. They settled for walking in a companionable silence, each lost in their own thoughts.

"…Hey, Sonoko?"

"Yeah, Ran?"

"You have a few classes with Kimiko, right?"

She answered, albeit hesitantly. "Uh-huh… why?"

"Ah, no reason." She smiled devilishly, striving to appease Sonoko even though her heart wasn't in it. It wasn't _all_ because of Shinichi; just mainly. The other problem – even she couldn't quite place it. She shook her feelings away. Ran patted Sonoko on the shoulder and leaned in for a conspiratorial whisper. "Just make sure you give her extra hell for me, all right?"

Sonoko beamed brightly, not suspecting a thing. "Hai, HAI!"

--

Shinichi's eyes darted around cautiously, his eyebrows creased in thought. "Okay, the coast is clear…" He jogged easily down the hallway, reaching the school's front entrance in no time flat. Carefully, he walked over to the gates and proceeded to pick the lock with a pin from his pocket. "Home free," he whispered quietly to himself. "Now all I have to-"

"Shinichi?" He jumped about a foot in the air. "What are you doing?"

He whirled around to face the evil intrusion. "Ran? Oh, hey, I, er… didn't see you there." He scratched the back of his head nervously. "Hehehehe…"

"Shinichi…" She said in a warning tone, hands on her hips. "What are you doing, trying to sneak out of school in the middle of the day? I thought you were up to something." When he gave no reply: "You better tell me what you're up to, or so help me, I'll shove my foot right up your-"

"GAH! Ran!" Shinichi had a look of pure horror on his face. "Fine, fine! I'll tell you, but you have to keep it a secret! Geez, why do you have to be so violent…!" She sent him an icy glare, which he blatantly ignored. Shinichi sighed and shoved his hands in his coat pockets. "Okay… so you know about that note right? The latest one that Psiren sent to Megure-keibu?" Ran nodded slowly. _'Where is he going with this?'_ She thought, but decided to feign ignorance.

"Well, the guys on the taskforce are having a hard time figuring out what it means, so they asked me to not only help with it, but to come to the heist myself! Isn't it great? I finally get to see the elusive Phantom Thief myself!" His eyes narrowed in determination, and he grinned. "And she'll finally be behind bars!"

Ran's eye twitched ever-so-slightly. "Yeah, that's terrific, Shinichi…" On the outside, she seemed like any girl happy for her best friend should be. On the inside, though…

'_OhmyGODhewillfindoutandillbesoSCREWED…he'llfindouteverythingohgezzi'mdeadmeant…'_

…Her mind was a jumble of cluttered, frantic thoughts.

Shinichi, completely oblivious to her inner struggle, continued. "Criminals like her only do it for the attention! I bet she gets a kick out of seeing the police stumbling around trying to catch her!"

'_Haha…that is pretty funny…buti'mdeadmeatshinichii'sntstupidhe'llfigureoutthatitsme...'_

Shinichi folded his arms. "I have to admit, she's pretty crafty, and those riddles of hers are genius, but…" Ran couldn't help the proud smile that formed on her face. "…She's nothing but a cocky, arrogant, scantily clad thief."

"Hey, hey!" Ran exploded. "Psiren's nothing like that!" Shinichi gave her a questioning look. "I-I mean, that's what I've heard, anyway."

His eyes turned pleading. "_Please_ don't tell me your one of the fangirls, Ran."

She shrugged sheepishly, a secretively smile tugging at her features. "Well, she _is_ cool…"

Shinichi gaped. "But… Ran! You're dad's a detective! Hell, I'm a detective! If anyone should be against the Psiren it's you. There's no excuse for committing crimes, Ran. And there's no reason for you to look up to her because of it."

Ran looked down at her sneakers, her chocolate brown hair shielding her eyes and more importantly, her feelings. Immediately, she saw her mother's face in her mind's eye; a life cut too short. Her dream mom flashed a bright smile, her gentle laugh a symphony to Ran's ears. Even though both her mother and herself had done things less than legal, Ran just couldn't accept the fact that things were as clear cut as Shinichi had come to believe. "But you know, Shinichi…" He glanced at her, noticing her sudden change in mood.

"...The world isn't just in black and white."

Shinichi groaned irritably, throwing his hands up in exasperation as he turned around to continue picking the lock.

XXXXX

**A/N: **Ah! Nobody get mad at me! This is an SxR, I promise! Shinichi's just being stupid at the moment, like boys often will be. xP

Next time, on '**Don't Play by the Rules'**: It's finally time for the heist! And with Shinichi around, things just got a heck of a lot difficult for poor Ran-chan…


	3. Lucky Pair of Aces: Blue Waves

**Disclaimer: **Uh… me no ownie.

**A/N**: Konban wa, minna-san! And here I am, returning with the (hopefully) anticipated Chapter 3. And it only took like, three months? -laughs nervously- …Yeah. This chapter was really fun to write, though. You'll see why soon enough.

And now, Don't Play by the Rules: Chapter Three! Lucky Pair of Aces!

**Don't Play by the Rules**

Chapter 3: Lucky Pair of Aces

Part One - Aoi Harou (Blue Waves)

She remembered.

After all these years, the images were still so very fresh in her mind - the sights, the sounds, the smells… _everything. _ Most people forget. The memories fade with time, especially if it's something you'd rather not remember. Ran, however, was different. Both good and bad, she could recall easily. They meshed together to form a picture of amazing clarity in her mind; a bittersweet memory that she held dear to her heart, yet one that still pained her deeply. Because despite everything that had happened, there was still a side of her – a preserved, childlike innocence – that desperately hoped it wasn't true.

She refused to forget that day, or any other for that matter. It was what she clung to, what drove her forward. Was it for revenge? No… it went deeper; much deeper than any words could describe.

Ran remembered… her mother. Her smooth, creamy skin. Her eyes… a mild blue, almost purple-like, and so like her own. Ran loved those eyes of hers. She loved the warm look she got, whenever she gazed into them. And it was amusing to watch how quickly they could change. Glowing eyes and a calm demeanor could easily flare up when her father was ever concerned, and the two would argue heatedly for _hours_, but Ran would only laugh at how silly they were being, and they'd smile at her and everything would be right again…

Eri Kisaki had lustrous, deep brown hair. She often wore it in a bun high on her head, but on a few special occasions, Ran caught it falling free and well past her shoulders. The shampoo she wore always gave her a pleasant smell, like jasmine and lilac, but still uniquely hers. Her voice was low and feminine, and Ran still could remember how peaceful she felt whenever she sang her lullabies. She was singing her one too, that night. That was the last time… Ran ever saw her.

"_Umi wa hiroi na, okii na tsuki ga noboru shi, hi ga shizimu..."_

"_The ocean is wide; big. The moon climbs from the ocean, the sun sets down to the ocean…"_

"Mommy! Sing me another song! Please?" Ran gazed up at her mother expectantly, who just smiled apologetically back at her. But there was something else… behind those bluish-purple eyes. "Sorry, hon," Eri said softly, leaning over to plant a kiss on her forehead. "Mommy has to leave right now." Ran looked terribly annoyed and disappointed. "But don't worry! It shouldn't take long. I should be back here by the time you come home from school tomorrow. I'll sing you a lullaby, then." Her tone was complacent. But it went unheard.

"But, _mom!" _Ran insisted. "You're always gone! Sometimes I don't see you for days because you take so long!" Eri was silent. She might've been young, but Ran wasn't so naïve that she didn't notice the distress on her mother's face. Or the guilt. It frightened her; how a normally cheerful woman could look so very broken. "Mommy…"

Eri closed her eyes and sighed. When she opened them, they were devoid of those previous emotions. Instead there was a fierce determination burning within them.

"Don't worry, baby," she murmured, with a slight edge to her voice. Her fingers moved deftly through her daughter's hair, occasionally brushing against her face and scalp. It sent her into a peaceful lull; though Ran was still slightly anxious from her mother's strange behavior. "It'll all be over soon." Eri's fingers found a knot and tugged slightly to straighten it. Ran flinched, but remained quiet. "I promise." Suddenly she moved from the bed, walking stiffly towards the door. Ran shrunk back underneath her blanket as the room fell into darkness. She heard Eri talk briefly with Kogoro, and then a soft click as the front door closed and she left.

'It'll all be over soon,' she had said. 'I promise.' A promise she would not be able to keep. Eri would not be coming home.

Ran suffered from nightmares all that night. And things only got worse… once she got home from school the next day.

"_Umi wa oonami, aoinami yurete doko made tsuzuku yara…"_

"_The ocean is big waves, blue waves _

_rocking, where will it end?"_

--

"_**From the heavens above, an angel will descend**_

_**To purify a corrupted soul, fashioned by a devil's hand**_

_**As the waves rush the shore, the moon a glimmering light;**_

_**The whole country will come to admire…**_

_**This famed thief of flight.**_

_**-- Phantom Thief Psiren**_

--

"Well, I'm out," Shinichi grumbled, throwing his cards carelessly down on the table. Ran carefully inspected her hand, biting down on her lip in anticipation.

"…Yeah, me too," She said suddenly, sighing miserably as she revealed her pitiful cards.

"I won again!" cried the victor, standing up in his seat and raking in his beloved prize. His face broke out into a triumphant grin. "I get _all_ the candy!"

Ran blinked, and then raised a single eyebrow. "Okay… this is slightly disturbing. How is it that your kid brother is so good at playing _poker_?" She asked, staring at little Conan incredulously. "Royal Flush!" Conan chirped, bobbing his head happily. He reached for a candy bar from the pile, unwrapping it and popping it into his mouth.

Shinichi snorted. "Well, he sure didn't get it from me."

Ran smirked a bit and rolled her eyes. "_That_ much is obvious, Shinichi." He stuck his tongue out at her.

"CANDY, CANDY, CANDY!" Conan shouted, jumping down from his chair. He then proceeded to get down on his hands and knees and bark like a dog. Ran and Shinichi stared.

"Uh, Shinichi… you did remember to give him the _sugar-free _candy, didn't you?" He blinked once, looking at her blankly. Ran's eye twitched suspiciously as she covered her face with her hands and sighed heavily. "Idiot."

"Woof, woof! I'm a puppy! YAY!" Conan howled. The two teenagers covered their ears from the shrill sound. He ran around in little puppy circles, panting happily.

Shinichi groaned and stood up. "I'll get the meds," he mumbled, dragging his feet toward the bathroom. He stopped suddenly and looked back at Conan with narrowed eyes. "No more candy for you, kid," he said.

Conan growled 'threateningly'. "I don't want medicine! I want candy! Candy, candy, candy!" He launched himself at Shinichi and sunk his teeth into his leg. Shinichi screamed like a girl, toppling over in a heap on the floor. Ran gaped at Conan as she watched him attack Shinichi's foot again, tugging his sock off and escaping into the next room with it in his mouth, still barking.

She blinked. And stared. _Blink_. _Blink_. _Stare_. Her mouth opened, and then closed. Blink again. She glanced briefly back at the living room, where she heard what sounded like the ripping of cotton-like material. Ran looked over at Shinichi, who was laying face first in the carpet and _still_ hadn't moved.

And then Ran did what any logical person would do in this situation:

"_**AHAHAHAHA!"**_

XXXXXX

A little while later, after Conan had been properly… er, medicated, and had fallen asleep, Ran and Shinichi were sitting in Shinichi's kitchen, and Ran was still laughing her head off. Shinichi glared daggers at her, but that only seemed to rouse her more and soon there were tears falling from her eyes.

"It's not funny, you know," he said, annoyed. Ran snorted, but her laughing finally quieted to occasional snickers.

"Yes… it is," She gasped, struggling to breathe. "And your… your toes!" She cracked up again. Shinichi looked self-consciously down at his feet. Since his last pair of socks had been mutilated by a little demon on a sugar high, he was going barefoot. Bandages covered two of his toes, and they were quite… animated.

"They're so _cute_!" Ran squealed. "I've never seen Masked Yaiba band-aids before! They're so you, Shinichi!" She grinned. "God… I love it when your brother visits."

Shinichi rolled his eyes. "Whatever. They were the only ones we had, okay? So sue me." He pulled a sheet of paper and a pencil from the counter. "I have to file my report for the police."

Ran frowned, but a light bulb went off in her head. The best thing about being friends with your enemy… is that you can get some very useful information from them. She looked at the document curiously. "It's for the heist a few days from now, isn't it?" He nodded, but didn't look up. "How's it going so far, anyway? Have you figured out where she's going to have it?"

"Mmm… yeah, I'm pretty sure. Everything is pretty direct. She's so confident; she doesn't think it's necessary to spin out impossible riddles." Shinichi had a bored expression on his face.

"Really?" asked Ran, her eyebrows disappearing under her hair. "So what's your diagnosis, oh great detective?"

"Simple." He straightened up in his chair, getting that know-it-all look on his face. Now it was Ran's turn to look bored, though Shinichi seemed absolutely oblivious. "It's all spelled out. 'From the heavens above…' means she'll be coming by way of her hang glider. This next line, 'To purify a corrupted soul…' it's a hint to the prize she's after. I'm not 100 percent sure what it is yet, but she gave a big clue with the whole 'devil' thing. So far the only thing I've found that matches that is the Devil's Arcana, a diamond that's on display at the Beika Museum. "

He folded his arms. "This third line, the 'waves rush the shore' bit is talking about high tide. High tide is triggered by the moon, and the next one would be this Saturday... around eight or nine. It won't take long to find out the exact time." He leaned back in his chair, grinning like an idiot.

"Wow," breathed Ran, eyes wide and shining. "Impressive."

"That's me!" He uttered arrogantly. "I've got it _all_ figured out. And when Saturday comes around, I'll be ready. Just you wait, Ran. Psiren won't go free while I'm around." As an afterthought, he jotted some random thoughts down on his spare sheet of paper. Consumed in his work, he didn't notice when Ran stood from the table.

"…I'm going to check on Conan-kun," She told him. He grunted in reply. She walked out into the hallway, allowing herself a sly smile as soon as she was out of sight. Her feet made no sound as she moved across the plush carpet, quickly reaching the sofa. Conan was sleeping soundly, his innocent little face framed by stray strands of hair. It had his mother's rich, medium brown color. Ran smiled.

With a last glance over her shoulder, Ran left the boy's side and moved back to the dining room. Her thoughts once again drifted to her heist… and Shinichi.

'Shinichi… you're so confident, but I'm afraid you're slightly off. I was getting scared there for a moment.' She clucked her tongue thoughtfully. '…I'm still anxious as hell, but things are bound to get interesting. At least now it'll be more a challenge.' Spotting the deck of cards still sitting on the table, Ran grabbed them up and began shuffling. It was almost second nature to her, now.

"_Mommy!" cried a much younger Ran. "Teach me a card trick, please!" She leaned forward, watching in awe as the playing cards sprung back and forth between her mother's hands. _

_Eri grinned. "All right." She shuffled the deck and handed it to her daughter. "But you must always remember, Ran-chan…" Her long slender fingers pulled the first card from the top – the Ace of Spades; her favorite, and her trademark. "A good magician… never reveals her tricks." She winked as a secretive smile lit her face. _

Ran held the newly shuffled deck in her hands, smiling over the memories. By mere chance she happened to look to her left and see a framed photograph of her, her mother, and her father sitting on a desk against the wall. 'How did he get that…? Probably from Yukiko.'

Her mood sombered, however, when she noticed something else… a series of snapshots of Shinichi and Kimiko hanging out at Tropical Land. She quickly averted her eyes, again feeling sort of depressed. After the 'incident' a couple of weeks ago, Ran had just been keen on ignoring the situation. _But_…

She made a low, dejected sound in the back of her throat, but returned her attention to the cards. She pulled the very first card and held it up to look at. The Ace of Hearts – _her_ lucky favorite. Ran heard movement from the other room, and with a wave of her hand the card disappeared. In reality, she had only slipped it in her sleeve.

"Hey, Ran!" Shinichi called.

"RAAAN-NEECHAN!"

Ran smiled despite herself. "Coming!" She yelled back. She rubbed her thumb briefly against her concealed card. The mischief returned to her eyes, if only for a moment.

"Let the games begin."

--

"It's been eight years."

The alleyway was dark. The shadowed figure groped around for a cigarette, and then for his lighter. A small ember of light stood out in the dark as he lit up, and then disappeared. A similarly shady figure, slightly shorter than the first, who was leaned against the brick wall, spoke next.

"Odd, ain't it? I woulda figgered her for dead. Or at least smart enough ta know not to put her nose where it don't belong. You'd think a person would learn from… past experiences." His partner merely grunted in reply.

"_**You know what this means, don't you." **_

The two men turned around, finally noticing a third among them. It was hard to make out physical appearances, but they didn't really need to – they recognized her the moment she spoke.

The second man paled. "V-Vermouth…"

She smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes. "Gin, Vodka. I trust you are handling things well enough?" They nodded stiffly. "Good." She took a few more steps forward. "Now, obviously we have a serious problem on our hands. We still do not have what we are looking for. And now it seems the infamous thief is not dead as we assumed and has returned… after the prize herself, no doubt. There's too much history between us. She knows too much, too much is at stake. I want her _dead_, you understand?" Her tone was deadly serious. Gin and Vodka nodded once again. "Wonderful. You two are oh-so obedient." She turned, walking back down the alley, her heels clicking all the way.

"But… boss?" asked Vodka hesitantly. Vermouth stopped dead in her tracks, her body stiffening. Suddenly she whirled on him, eyes gleaming with malice. "I believe I just gave you an _order_, Vodka." Her hand reached down to a suspicious lump in her coat pocket. "You aren't disobeying orders, are you?"

"N-no! It's just that Psiren's next heist… we had planned to take care of her then… make it look like an accident, but…"

Vermouth cocked her head, impatience evident in her voice. "But?" Her hand never left her side.

"But… that teenage prodigy, Shinichi Kudo is supposed to be there. What if he tries to get involved?" He fidgeted nervously. The next thing he knew, he was being held at gun point, backed up against the wall. Vodka stared wide eyed at his employer, who seemed to have no problem pulling the trigger on him right then and there.

"You mean you held me up for _that_?" She hissed. She was in his face now, their noses almost touching. She growled, slamming him hard into the wall. "Do what you must." Vermouth narrowed her eyes. "I have heard of this Shinichi Kudo, and am well aware of his presence this Saturday." She smiles suddenly and takes hold of Vodka's face, caressing it softly with the gentle touch of a lover. Vodka shuddered. "If he chooses to interfere, then _kill_ him, m'dear." Her voice was sweet, but no less dangerous. Vodka would've actually preferred it if she yelled at him.

Vermouth backed away. "Though… I would prefer not to harm him. He seems like such a cool little guy. So handsome, too." Her face suddenly lit up. "Oh! That's it! I believe I will call him 'Cool Guy'." She grinned. Vermouth turned away suddenly, leaving poor Vodka to his own devices. She gave the silent Gin a quick once-over, plucking the cigarette right from his mouth and putting it in her own. She breathed the fumes in appreciatively. "See that it is done," she commanded as she exhaled. "I will not tolerate failure. From either of you."

She walked away without another word, leaving a frightened Vodka and a very miffed Gin.

"Fuck…" grunted Gin, once Vermouth was a safe enough distance away. "That was my last smoke…"

--

_Headline News:_

_**Psiren the Phantom Thief to Steal Elusive Black Diamond**_

_The infamous phantom thief Psiren puzzled citizens and officers alike last month when she released a letter to the Phantom Thief Taskforce; warning them of yet another heist and another attempt to steal a priceless gem. The note quickly had everyone baffled, but with a little help from teenage super sleuth Shinichi Kudo, it was deciphered with relative ease. Jyuuzou Megure, head of the taskforce, is confident that this time Psiren _will_ be captured. _

"_It's only a matter of time,' he says, grinning. "We're prepared this time – we've got the whole perimeter surrounded, both inside and out. Every possible precaution has been taken to ensure our success. And with my golden boy, Shinichi, in attendance this time… Psiren's sealed her own fate." _

_The heist will take place tonight - at exactly 9:15 p.m. - at the Beika Museum. The stunning gem, known simply as the 'Devil's Arcana' will be targeted by the thief, as the nature of the letter suggests. Having disappeared mysteriously eight years ago, Psiren was said to have either died or retired before her sudden appearance just over a half a year ago, but she has since limited her exploits only to Japan. _

_Every attempt so far has led to a victory for the thief, and yet most treasures stolen have been recovered the very next day. All but a few (from her earlier and more recent heists) have been returned. _

_But there is nothing to fear, as Shinichi Kudo is on the case. There are also rumors of a certain other well-known detective joining the pursuit, as well..._

_With the current standings, this is likely to be a night the whole of Japan won't soon forget. _

XXXXXX

"Teenage super sleuth? Ha! My ass!" He balled up the newspaper angrily and threw it clear across the room. "If not for that snot-nosed kid, I would be the one getting all the publicity right now!" He slammed his fist against the desk, growling in exasperation. Irritated, bright blue eyes met his from across the room. _"What?!"_ He shouted.

"Otou-san…" Ran said slowly, unfazed by his outburst. Her eyes flicked back down to the magazine she was currently reading. "I truly would appreciate it if your trash actually _made_ it to the trash can." She licked a finger daintily and turned the page.

Kogoro scowled down at the assorted pieces of litter adorning the floor. "Damnit, Ran," he groaned. "I should be there! Not _him_. I knew that kid was no good the moment I met him."

Ran grinned, raising an eyebrow. "Don't talk about Shinichi that way, dad. He's not all that bad. Besides, if it makes you feel any better, I wish you were there instead, too." She paused for a moment as she turned another page. "Psiren needs a good challenge." Either he completely missed her sarcasm, or he chose to ignore it.

"Damn straight," he mumbled, standing. "Who's making dinner tonight, anyway? Me or you?"

"You, unless you want instant ramen. I'm going over to Sonoko's." Ran pulled a scrunchie out of her pocket, tying her hair up into a ponytail. She then used a few hair pins to style it into a simple bun. Her father observed this with a certain amount of interest. "Something wrong?" She asked at the bewildered expression on his face.

Kogoro shook his head. "Nothing," he said gruffly. His face grew thoughtful for a moment, and his tone softened. "It's just… with your hair like that… you look a lot like your mother, Ran."

She smiled ruefully. "I know," she said quietly. Ran grabbed a baseball cap from the closet and her bookbag off the couch, and she was out the door.

--

"Onii-chan!" Conan tugged on Shinichi's shirt sleeve. "Where are you going? Can't I come, too?"

Shinichi smirked and ruffled his little brother's hair, much to Conan's displeasure. "Sorry, squirt. You can't come along this time. I've got to hurry to the museum… be good for Professor Agasa, all right? Try not to break anything this time."

Conan nodded reluctantly, his eyes narrowed. "Okay, but you have to take me with you next time. Otherwise I'll tell Ran-neechan on you. She said if you be mean to me she'd be glad to damage some more… _sensitive_ parts of your anatomy." Conan grinned sadistically. Shinichi sweatdropped. A seven-year old kid should _not_ be able to grin like that.

"And what else did Ran say? …Never mind. I don't want to know." He grabbed his coat and headed for the door. "Ja ne, Conan! Next time, I promise!" The door slammed shut behind him.

"Yeah, yeah," mumbled Conan, rolling his eyes. "Onii-chan never lets me do _anything_." With that, he shuffled moodily towards the living room to watch the heist play out on T.V.

--

Vodka let out a string of curses. "Damn…there are freakin' cops everywhere. How am I supposed to get a clear shot?" Gin acknowledged his partner with a grunt, eyes narrowed as he assessed the situation.

"Don't worry 'bout it," he said simply. "The crowds are gonna be our saving grace. We'll find our little friend, take care of some business, and then get away through the chaos. Tonight we're nothin' but a couple civilians." He chuckled darkly, turning to Vodka. "You ready?" He nodded slowly. The two men - in the cover of yet another dark alleyway – removed their heavy black overcoats, revealing a pair of ordinary street clothes underneath. Gin scowled, looking indignant. "I don't care _what _Vermouth says – I'm keeping the hat."

"At least you're still wearing black," growled Vodka, indicating his red and grey plaid sweater. "What the hell is this? I look like a fuckin' tourist."

"Quit complaining and come on." Gin turned the safety off and loaded his gun. "We have a job to do."

--

The security at Beika Museum was nearly impenetrable, just as she knew it would be. Helicopters hovered nosily overhead; police cars surrounded the building from below. Policemen guarded on foot from the inside. And then there was Shinichi, of course…

Ran felt a tinge of doubt; which was unusual, since she was always so sure of herself. These weren't the most usual circumstances, though. Shinichi was someone she had to worry about. 'He's heard about Psiren, but he's never come face to face with her before… how long before he makes a connection, I wonder?' She sighed, walking slowly towards her destination.

'Either way, this is something I have to do. I don't want you to have to get involved, Shinichi, but I guess I have no choice in the matter.' Ran adjusted her bag on her shoulder, pulling her hat down to hide her eyes. Last thing she needed was to be recognized. Soon, she'd become the Psiren again, and once she did, there was no turning back.

"This is the way it has to be."

"_Umi wa hiroi na, okii na  
tsuki ga noboru shi, hi ga shizimu_

_Umi wa oonami, aoinami  
yurete doko made tsuzuku yara_

_Umi ni ofune o ukabasete  
itte mitaini yoso no kuni"_

_--_

"_The ocean is wide; big  
the moon climbs from the ocean, _

_The sun sets down to the ocean_

_The ocean is big waves, blue waves  
rocking, where will it end?"_

_We put the boat on the ocean…  
we want to go to other countries_

XXXXXX

**A/N:** Lucky Pair of Aces, Part One is … _finito. _Hehe... you were expecting Conan to be another child prodigy, weren't you? Ha… you amuse me. The little Conan-kun in my story is an average 7-year old who loves Masked Yaiba and chocolate. How ironic. But… he does like Sherlock Holmes, and wants to grow up to be a detective, just like his Onii-chan. I tried to make Conan unique without making him too far off from the original. A happy medium, if you will.

**Thanks to**: Dragonheart3, Lady Mirror, Lynn, pokemonfan150, and Fyliwion for reviewing! You make me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. :) I hope to see even more reviews this time around! Don't let me down, people.

Next time, on '**Don't Play by the Rules'**: An over confident Shinichi, an ahem _slightly_ nervous Ran-chan, and a couple of thugs wanting to kill them both. Who'll escape this victorious? Or, even alive? -collective gasp- Find out on the next exciting episode of Dragonball-

…Whoops.

God, I watch too much T.V. xD


	4. Lucky Pair of Aces: White Angel

**Disclaimer: **I hold claim only to the skimpy outfit that Ran wears…

**Don't Play by the Rules **

Chapter 3: Lucky Pair of Aces

Part Two – Shiroi Tenshi (White Angel)

'_Ran-chan, there is something… I must tell you.'_

Everything was in place. Ran was ready, and the heist was to begin in minutes.

'_**So you're going to don the mask and cape, Ran-chan? Like mother, like daughter, ne?'**_

'_Though by the time you find this, I'll already be gone.'_

Ran fixed her mask securely in place as distant, familiar voices from the past assaulting her consciousness. She pulled the zipper up on the top part of her two-piece outfit. White leather gloves slipped on with practiced ease.

'_**But… are you sure this is the right way to go about things?'**_

'_It was never my intention to harm you, Ran. Not you, nor anyone else…' _

She stepped towards the edge of the building's rooftop. It was the perfect place to sail from; the building had been abandoned long ago and was isolated from the rest of the downtown Tokyo area. Beika Museum was only a bit further ahead. There, just out of her reach, was the distant roar of helicopters and cheering crowds. Ran closed her eyes and inhaled deeply; as she always did before a heist to relax herself. The voices quieted to a dull murmur; a mere whisper on the gentle wind.

'_I have to set the record straight…'_

'_**I hope you know what you're doing, Ran-chan...'**_

'_I _am_ the Psiren, Ran.'_

Her eyes snapped open, adrenaline coursing through her - heart pounding, her breaths coming in short, haggard pants. _'Come on Ran, don't lose it now,' _she berated herself. Taking another step forward, she spread her arms out wide to her sides. The only thing standing between her now and a two hundred foot drop was a thin, waist high railing. Showtime! Ran grasped the railing with both hands and used her momentum to push herself up and over. Squeezing her eyes shut, for a brief moment she simply enjoyed the exhilarating, stomach-lurching feeling of a freefall.

3…2…1.

Ran hastily pushed a button on the belt around her waist, making her glider expand out behind her. As she soared through the air, she laughed happily; like a little kid learning to ride a bike for the first time. The crowd below caught sight of her and the cheering grew deafening – as did the blazing of police sirens. They beckoned her forward with the chaos; the bright, insistent lights… the _uproar. _But at the last moment – right before she reached the waiting hands of the taskforce – Ran veered to the right, escaping into an alleyway between a nearby building and an office skyscraper. She crashed through a window and quickly dodge-rolled to the side; pressing herself against the wall to avoid being seen.

"Well," she chirped brightly, quietly. The edge of a helicopter spotlight passed right under the window. "Step one's done. Now on to step two." She snickered softly, running the barren halls to some unseen destination. But she wasn't home free quite yet.

'_Ran, now that you've discovered the truth, I don't know what you plan to do…but _please_… please don't make the same mistakes that I did.'_

'_**So hey… wait. Why do you have to get me involved in all of this, anyway?'**_

--

"Megure-keibu?"

The inspector looked up, expecting to see one of his officers back with a report… and that coffee he asked for about an hour ago. Instead, it was the teenage super sleuth himself.

"Shinichi!" He pulled him over for a bear hug and a friendly pat on the back. "'Bout time you got here! We've already gotten everything set up! At this rate, son, you'd be late to your own funeral." Jyuuzou pulled a pen out of his pocket, scribbling something down on a pad of paper. Once finished, he ripped it free and handed it over to a nearby woman who scurried away with it without a word having to be exchanged.

The young detective had the grace to look sheepish. "Sorry, Megure, sir. I had to make sure there was someone who could watch Conan-"

"Oh, so that brother of yours is staying with you?" Megure tried to make conversation, but was terribly distracted at the moment. "Make sure you give my regards to Yusaku-san…"

"INSPECTOR!" The voice sounded urgently over the radio, mixed in with a terrible amount of static. Megure fumbled for it. "Psiren was spotted above Beika Museum! She's on the move! I repeat – "

"Where is she now?!" He shouted into the receiver. Shinichi flinched, but spared a glance down at his watch. 9:15, exactly. _'Well, at least she's consistent,' _he thought, smirking a little.

"We've lost track of her!" The distraught officer continued on with the conversation. "She was heading straight for the museum when she suddenly changed directions, and… she disappeared behind one of the office buildings, sir! We cant-"

"_DON'T JUST STAND THERE_!" Megure shouted in absolute irritation. "_HAUL ASS AND FIND HER_!" He pulled his head away from the speaker, changing frequencies. "Anyone hearing this is to report immediately to the museum! Psiren has been spotted, and I don't want her to get anywhere close to that jewel, you hear?!' Without warning, he switched the handheld radio off completely. Counting to ten, he closed his eyes and sighed. "Morons."

Shinichi did his best not to laugh. "Uh, keibu… I think we should go _now_… that is, if we're going to intercept the robbery."

Megure grunted. "Yeah. Right. Sorry." He gestured towards his squad car in an offhand manner. "Get in." Shinichi walked around to the passenger's side and slid in. "And _please _don't let me down on this one, Shinichi."

"Do I ever?" He replied in his easy, confident tone. Blue eyes were bright with excitement, and he couldn't seem to keep his hands still. Jyuuzou shook his head and chuckled, starting the car and speeding off.

--

Only minutes after Shinichi and Megure had departed, a taxi cruised slowly through the crowd of people to the museum. After getting up close enough, the car's sole patron got out and paid his fare. Then he pushed his way through the raucous, frenzied crowd to the entrance. A shrill sound reverberated from his pocket, so he quickly reached down to answer his cell phone.

"Yo, Hattori," He answered automatically, raising his voice over the noise. His expression turned annoyed as he discovered who it was. "What do you want, Kazuha?" The newly disgruntled detective ran a hand through his hair in agitation, wincing at his childhood friend's screaming. "Oi, I'm not _doing_ anything! I'm just here to see what all this Psiren mess is about… yeah, I mean… _No,_ I'm not gonna get myself killed, ahou! Why would say something so stupid?!" Heiji sombered a little as Kazuha screamed at him again.

"…Okay, so I got in a fix _one_ time, so? …..Alright, alright, two. That other one was _your_ fault, though!" Another pause. "…._WHO ARE YOU CALLING AN AHOU, YOU AHOU!!"_

Many of the nearby bystanders were beginning to give him dirty looks, so Heiji figured it was a good time to end their little 'talk', if you could call it that. His eyebrow twitched as he let out an irritable sigh. If he hadn't left without telling her, he'd probably be back home in Osaka right now.

"Right, right. Shopping. Tomorrow. Whatever. Can I go now?" Kazuha blew up at him again, but he snapped his phone shut before he was forced to listen to it. Sure, he was probably going to get his ass kicked and then be forced into going shopping with her later, but right now he waved it off. He had bigger things to worry about. Heiji twisted his Sax cap to the side and dashed up the stairs to join the police inside.

--

"This seems like a good place," Ran muttered. The abandoned building was cold and a bit creepy in its desertion, but with no one around it was a perfect place to change. She snapped her fingers and her form was engulfed in a cloud of pink colored smoke. Once it cleared, a police officer's uniform had replaced her traditional thief garb, and some very elaborate makeup had been used to change her outward appearance. _'As much as I hate to admit it,'_ Ran thought with annoyance, _'I'll never be as good with these damn disguises as mom or sensei.' _And apparently she didn't have to be, because it had been nearly a year since she's adapted the façade and they still hadn't caught her. Smiling triumphantly to herself, she made her supplies vanish and a billy club took its place. Ran sashayed down one hallway until she reached a wooden door at the end. She jiggled the handle – locked.

Ran let out a battle cry, reeling back and kicking the door with all her might. It slammed open, breaking one of the hinges in result. Ran sweatdropped. "Oops." She never had been one to hold back.

Her eyes slid over the room quickly. If those blueprints she had 'borrowed' were anything to go by, then there should be a door here that led straight to the museum. She could go on as planned, but the police – having not seen her come out – would've suspected that she was still inside. Chances were that Megure would send a squad or two inside just to be on the safe side. '_Really, they were too predictable'_. And even as she thought this, not once did Shinichi ever come to mind.

The walls made soft thudding noises as Ran knocked her weapon handle against them in order to find the door. When the knocks became hollow, it told her to start looking for a handle or a knob of some kind. Her fingers groped around blindly for _something; _she found it in the groove in the otherwise smooth surface of the wall. Ran pulled against it with all the strength she could muster, until the door trembled with age and finally creaked open. It was pitch black and the air was stale inside.

The distant sound of voices told her she didn't have much time. A determined glint shone in her eyes as she took a final breath of fresh air and plunged into darkness, the door squealing shut behind her.

At the same time, police officers scored the building, unaware that their culprit had already departed.

Down on the ground, Shinichi smiled in victory.

--

The exhibition room was crawling with cops. They gave the appearance of being ready and alert, but with no idea what to expect it was easy to see the air of uncertainty that filled the space. Megure stood near the door - steadily barking orders at his officers – while other high-ranking officials strove to maintain some sense of order. The Great Detective of the West was slouched against the wall, taking all this in with an idle expression. All he had to do was watch… and wait.

Heiji glanced down at his watch with narrowed eyes. 9:25 p.m. She'd disappeared from sight for ten minutes now. _'She's late,_' He thought irritably. _'Really didn't think that was her style.'_ Green eyes flicked upwards, toward the skylight that he was sure she'd enter from. _'Shouldn't be long now.' _ A group of about a dozen officers surrounded the jewel, which was sitting on a red velvet pillow under thick, bulletproof glass. The gem's unusual crimson tint had the detective temporarily stunned. _'Man, what I wouldn't do…'_

Suddenly, an icy chill shot through his spine. Heiji gasped, snapping to attention as he jerked his head around. He _knew_ that feeling! He was being watched!

"What the _hell_!?" Turning back to look at the center of the room, he found that a startling development had come to past. Though the people were clumped together in bunches, a lanky figure stood alone; dressed entirely in the officer's garb. Nothing strange there; but what Heiji _did_ find odd was the steely pair of blue eyes that met his own; the eyes that were practically begging him to act upon his suspicions. The stranger's face slowly broke out into a roguish grin, and even a wink was thrown his way. The most wanted criminal of all Japan was hiding in plain sight and all but one were none the wiser.

But before Heiji could say or do anything, the room was thrown into total and complete darkness.

A weird, loud _"pbbzt!" _noise was heard, followed by maniacal laughter that shattered the bewildered silence.

"_**Oh, you poor, poor men…. tripping over yourselves, as always."**_

"….Hold it right there, Psiren!"

Heiji couldn't quite make out that voice, but he did recognize it from somewhere. The lights flickered briefly before turning back on, and in place of the disguised Psiren was a uniform and wig in a heap on the floor. The room echoed with shouts of outrage, cries of exasperation, and gasps of disbelief.

Gone not only was the Phantom Thief, but the precious Devil's Arcana as well.

"Damnit… gone again!" Megure worked his way up to the center of the room, his gait stiff and his face blank. He inspected the case, which was completely intact and without the slightest bit of signs of a break in. He growled low in his throat. "Men!" He bellowed. "I want every area of this place searched – she couldn't have gone have gone far! Takagi, take your crew and start from the ground…"

"That won't be necessary, inspector."

As one, the police turned towards the doorway, as a familiar, blue-eyed teenage detective entered. With his cocky grin and cool demeanor, they had no choice but to shut up and listen to him speak. A few feet away, Heiji's eyes spoke of a challenge.

'_Hmph. So, _you_ must be the Great Detective of the East. Let's just see if you're really as great as they say, Kudo.'_

Shinichi walked slowly forward, maintaining a confident and self-assured attitude. His grin grew wider. "Don't worry, Megure-keibu. There's no need to go searching for her." He paused for a moment to build up anticipation. Oh, how he loved to do that. "Because the culprit…"

"…is still in this room."

"_WHAT?!" _Jyuuzou shouted. "Are you tryin' to tell me that Psiren stole the jewel and never even left? Why would anyone do that?"

"Why not?" Shinichi continued, approaching the glass exhibit case. "It would be the perfect ruse. In matter of fact, I've noticed that the Psiren's whole strategy tonight was based on whether or not she could deceive the public – mainly, the police. When she took flight and headed toward the museum, for instance." He directed his attention back to Megure.

"Why would she circle around and then bother to take a detour to the office complex next door? …For no other reason than to throw us off course. Psiren used that mind-boggling little trick to act as a distraction while she slyly entered the museum from another area with much less thorough-fare. My guess is the air vents."

"Air vents?" Megure-keibu inquired.

"Yeah, the ventilation system in this place is pretty extensive, but the vents aren't very large widthwise. You wouldn't normally think to consider that as a possibility since a full grown adult could never fit through an opening that small, especially men, who are typically quite broad-set. But at the least, perhaps a petite woman could." He paused for another moment as he rifled for something in his pockets. A small tangle of red and blue wiring was revealed, the ends frayed from having been cut. "I suspected something the moment I heard about Psiren's little trick here, so I took a look around. Using a few every day household products, she rigged the electricity so that it would go out at a certain time – without her ever needing to be near there. And guess what else? There's venting that runs directly below the electrical room. She may have entered the museum by any conventional means, like a door or window; perhaps even while she was in disguise, but the air passes were the key to getting close to the exhibition room without being detected, or having to come up with some false alibi for being there in the first place. "

"Okay, I can understand that, I guess." Megure's eyes slowly scanned the room. "But how could she manage to steal the goods? Especially since, now without a disguise she'd stick out like a sore thumb…" Nothing seemed out of place, nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Scattered men and women in blue was all he saw. No thieves publicly denouncing his analytical ability, and no young women threatening to give him a heart attack by bending over _just the right way_…He quickly crushed that train of thought.

Megure pondered over it a second longer, and then a light went off in his head. "Unless… she must've changed disguises!"

Shinichi continued, "It'd be pretty easy to assume that she had gotten out of character by observing the abandoned costume left on the floor after the blackout… but, there was a small chance that someone might've caught her in the act. So changing afterwards would be the smartest way to fool everyone."

Heiji, off in his corner, snorted. '_Well I could've told 'em that.'_

"That still doesn't explain how you expect to catch her, Shinichi. There are at least a hundred people in this room right now, and Psiren apparently doesn't have a problem with just sitting back and watching the show."

Shinichi leaned in near Megure while he carefully studied the exits. "Megure-keibu," he whispered, "didn't you say to me earlier that you had the Devil's Arcana fully equipped? Didn't that include wiring that gave electric shocks if a trigger on the display was activated?"

"Of course," Megure barked back. "It sent out a hell of a jolt; trust me, I know. It would've been great if that damned kid hadn't cut the power."

"Actually," Shinichi grinned, "it worked just fine."

"What?"

"Right after the power went out, there was a weird noise. Didn't you hear it? That was probably the wiring giving off an electric shock to whoever had touched it. I bet that it had stored power in the systems even when the lights had gone out. In order for Psiren to have stolen the jewel, she would've had to have removed the display case, and then would've gotten the shock. Judging by that noise, she probably has burns on her hands, which she wouldn't have time to cover properly."

Megure nodded, jumping to attention. "All right!" He faced the group of bystanders closest to the scene of the crime. "I'll have to ask the lot of you to remove your gloves and show me your hands."

"_**There's no need, inspector. This has dragged on entirely too long for my liking." **_

Smoke descended over that small section of the room, and within seconds it had cleared. But there was a new sight to behold – Psiren the Phantom Thief, in all her glory.

--

Looking slightly miffed, Psiren flipped her hair with a sigh. "Honestly, it took you long enough. I was wondering how long I could go before you fools actually caught up with me." Though very hard to notice from a distance, there were obvious charred areas on her white leather gloves.

"You!" Megure snarled. His officers were ready; he was ready, and so was his culprit. "Don't mock me, Psiren! I'm going to have you in cuffs by the end of the night!"

"Mmm." Psiren searched him up and down, licking her lips sensually. "And I'm sure you'd like that, wouldn't you? My, you older men certainly are kinky!"

"Why, you-" Before he could make a proper quip to that, Shinichi stepped in. His heart sped up in anticipation. Shinichi keenly watched as Psiren slowly closed the distance between them, wearing a confident smirk. A weird sort of tension seemed to fill the air as everyone looked on the scene and waited for what was to happen next.

"So we finally meet… Psiren," Shinichi said. The first thing he noticed about his adversary was her elaborate costume. It was made out of what appeared to be white leather, though it was probably more vinyl, consisting of a form-fitting, low-cut midriff top and matching pants. She was wearing high-heeled boots… it was marvel that she could even walk in them, let alone pull the acrobatic stunts she was so known for. A mask covered the top half of her face and limited Shinichi's view of her facial features, but what he could see got him wondering. The thief's eyes were blank, and her hair was pulled up into a sloppy bun, with much of her hair still hanging free and obscuring her face. This made it impossible to discover how old she really was, but Shinichi guessed that she was at least twenty-five.

"I've heard of you, Shinichi Kudo," Psiren replied smoothly. Her heels clicked against the linoleum floor. "The acclaimed teenage super sleuth… the sole savior of the Japanese police force. You've made quite the name for yourself, tantei-san. But no one ever told me how cute you were!" She smiled in spite of herself, pulling out the obsidian jewel from some hidden place on her person. "It's unfortunate that we can't have more one-on-one time together… a rain check, perhaps?" Psiren then surprised everyone in the room by making a running leap towards the middle of the room; grabbing hold of the ladder suspended there that lead to the roof.

'_She had to have jumped ten feet in the air!'_ thought Heiji, who was openly gaping on the sidelines.

"_Psiren!" _Megure's face turned red in rage.

"You know, Megure-keibu, if you weren't so angry all the time you might've actually been able to catch yourself a woman, instead of having to desire a stunning young lady twenty years your junior." She broke out the skylight, sending glass shards raining over the people below. "Ta ta, keibu! And you as well, tantei-san!" And with that, she was gone, already on her way to freedom.

Shinichi quickly gave chase, and Megure, his officers, and even an impertinent Heiji soon joined him on the short trek to the top. They arrived just in time to see a triumphant Psiren soar of the building and into the air on her glider. Several copters approached her position, but in the disarray it seemed she would get away scot-free.

_**K-RACK!**_

Suddenly, the ear-splitting sound of firing bullets ripped through sky. Psiren and her glider gave one violent jerk before she began spiraling rapidly downward, having apparently been hit. Shinichi and the other roof's occupants could only watch in horrified awe as one of Japan's most wanted criminals plunged towards her death.

Acting on impulse, Heiji raced towards the edge and looked down. His eyes narrowed in determination as he looked for any sight of the thief, but there was none. By that time she had completely vanished from view. "Gone!" He exclaimed in amazement. "But how did she -"

"Calling all aerial units!" Megure shouted into his transceiver. "What happened to the Psiren? Where did she go? Did you see where she landed?!"

Static came through, and then, a voice. "…No, sir… somehow she was able to gain some sort of control and so corrected herself before she could crash." Shinichi listened carefully to the radio as the wheels in his head started to turn "…couldn't have gone far… she probably ended up somewhere in the vicinity of Tokyo Tower."

Megure let out a breath he hadn't even known he was holding. "Fine. Circle around and see what you can find. I'll have the other units search from the ground."

"…Roger that."

Jyuuzou glanced up after pocketing his radio, and his eyes met with Shinichi's. A sober instant passed between them, before the inspector willingly broke it by smiling. "I guess that's the way the cookie crumbles, eh Shinichi?" He worked his way towards the door, but not before ruffling Shinichi's hair good-naturedly in his passing. "Don't worry, we'll definitely get 'er next time."

Megure had people to direct, but as for Shinichi, he decided to stay behind and ponder over his defeat. "She actually got away! And I was so sure of myself, too." He leaned his body against the railing, staring out at the city skyline. "I can't really say I was expecting all _that_… that costume was pretty nice, though." He grinned, but it faded in favor of a more thoughtful countenance.

'_I doubt that little death-defying feat was a part of her act.' _Heiji was also deep in concentration, the rivalry he had fabricated between him and Shinichi long forgotten.

Two young detectives stood on opposite sides, completely unaware of each other. But in their minds, their thoughts were the same.

'_Who exactly wants Psiren dead, and why?' _

--

'_I need help…' _

Ran leaned heavily against the brick wall, panting hard with her legs tingling from overexertion. She'd survived the fall with no more than a few cuts and minor bruises, but her glider had been wrecked. Not only was it torn from two bullet holes that ripped through the fabric (Ran still didn't know where they had come from), but the frame had been smashed from impact when it hit the concrete. She was between a rock and a hard place; stuck without her transportation and without the resources she so desperately needed. Ran needed to come up with something, and fast.

Her whole body tensed at the sound of approaching voices, but she relaxed again as they faded away. _'Damn…with my glider busted, how am I going to get out of this alive?' _ Her vision blurred as tears of pain and frustration filled her eyes. Ran shook her head stubbornly. "No! I'm not giving up! Not like this!" She hastily checked her surroundings, and with a few quick adjustments, Ran was dashing down the alleyway into the darkness.

--

Ran wobbled awkwardly as she plodded down the sidewalks. Dressing herself up as pregnant woman was not the most flattering to her dignity, but it worked fine for what she had to do. Even though hundreds of people continued to scour the city for the thief, Ran was safe. No one would question a pregnant woman, after all. As if she could really leap from buildings or shoot anyone with an added thirty pounds to her belly. She'd have no reason to, anyway; she was pretty safe for the moment.

The streets of the suburban city were quiet, as it was very close to midnight and far away from the bustle of downtown. With its cookie cutter houses and small, snow-dusted lawns, it seemed like a peaceful, quiet place just perfect for raising a family. Though shadows loomed around her, Ran found her way quite easily. She'd been here hundreds of times before, after all.

Coming upon the house she wanted, Ran walked up to the door and rung the bell. There was an audible shuffling from inside, and after a short period the door clicked open. A man - probably in his late thirties or early forties – stood before her. His hair was a tangled mess and he had bags under his blue eyes, but once he saw his visitor, his face lit up.

"Well, hello, young lady," he said cheerfully. Ran smirked a bit. So he really didn't know who she was, then. "It's awfully late… and what do I owe this visit, from a beautiful girl like yourself?" In a flourish he took her hand and brought it to his lips.

Ran giggled. "Oh, love," She proclaimed in a voice not her own, "I came here to give you some extraordinary news! It's wonderful! I should've waited until tomorrow, but I just couldn't bear to keep it from you any longer!"

"Well," He looked mildly curious. "I do enjoy some good news! Why don't you come in, and -" His eyes widened to the size of saucers. Partly obscured by the dark, Ran's stomach came in full view to him when she walked into the entryway. Her host's face grew alarmingly pale, and he let out a horrified, girly little squeak.

"I'm not the father!" He blurted quickly, shaking his head frantically. "I swear! Ah… this is my past coming back to haunt me!"

His indignant speech was interrupted by Ran's loud guffaws. Her whole body shook from the force of it, until she had to lean against the doorframe to keep herself upright. And the poor man could only stare at her, baffled.

"You're such an idiot!" She declared happily. "Have you really been off the job so long that you can't even recognize your own dear sweet Ran-chan?" His face quickly went from baffled to full astonishment. Chuckling, Ran removed her mask and wiped some of the makeup off with the back of her hand.

"Ah…"

Her grin covered her whole face. "It's good to see you again, Kaito."

- - - - -

- - - - -

- - - - -

**A/N: **Man, this chapter was such a PAIN! My writer's block was endless, and I was so damned tired of flipping through that stupid thesaurus! I'm still not all that happy with it, but finally it's over with. –le sigh- However, I am quite happy about the introduction of both Heiji and Kaito to the storyline. Go, Gosho boys, go!

Next time, on '**Don't Play by the Rules'**: After the extended drama of an almost deadly heist, Ran, Shinichi, and little Conan-kun take some time off at the park. Frisbee, anyone? xD


	5. The Light in Your Eyes

**Disclaimer**: View previous chapters.

--

**Don't Play by the Rules**

Chapter Four: The Light in Your Eyes

He pulled on the cord, and the wings expanded to their full size. The large rips torn into the nylon fabric due to bullets had been expertly patched; though it was to be noted that it wasn't the prettiest job – though the glider material was white, the patch was a deep gray. Still, it would hold up, and that was good enough.

Kaito stepped back, surveying his handiwork. He frowned thoughtfully as his trained hands ran across the surface, checking for any weakness in the material. Ran watched all of this with interest from the couch. Kaito-sensei worked so quickly… normally she could drop something off for repair or maintenance and it would be ready by the time she got back an hour or so later. She'd never actually gotten the chance to watch him work before.

Ran rubbed at her face with a hand towel. She'd washed all the makeup off, but her face was still a little irritated. '_Hypoallergenic for now on,_' she thought. She'd changed out of her disguise into street clothes hours ago, and the assorted cuts and bruises she'd received from the fall had been treated and bandaged.

Suddenly, Kaito smiled. "There ya go," he said, breaking the comfortable silence that had formed between them. "It isn't as nice looking as I'd like, but…" He sent a meaningful glance in Ran's direction. "Knowing you, it'll probably be broken again by next week."

"Hey!" cried Ran indignantly. "That's a lie! I always take good care of you and mom's stuff."

"Mmm," Kaito reluctantly agreed, turning towards her. "But you wouldn't need our stuff if you weren't parading around in costume… how long do you plan to keep this up, anyway?"

Ran looked down at her hands. "As long as it takes," she announced grimly. Kaito sighed and shook his head, but said nothing. He took a spare rag from his back jean pocket and casually wiped the finishing paint and other assorted gunk from the repair off his hands. He turned to the window, looking out into the quiet night, watching the snow fall. "Has it really been almost a year already, Ran-chan?" Kaito asked wonderingly. The cloth rubbed between his fingers in a slow, absentminded way. "A whole year? Seems like only yesterday, huh?"

Ran moved across the room then, joining her mentor in looking out onto the streets. "Yeah… a year." She placed a hand against the glass. It was cool and wet to the touch. The snow was falling more rapidly now. Ran smiled suddenly. "It's been one _hell_ of a year."

Kaito laughed at that. "Now that I can agree with, Ran-chan! It certainly has been… interesting watching you take over as Psiren, despite the fact that you know I'm against the idea." He folded his arms. "That outfit is awfully risqué, though. I really wish you'd cover up a bit more."

Ran blinked. "Why? I don't think it's too bad. Besides, it's almost the same style as Mom wore."

Kaito grinned dreamily. "Ooh… I remember that. That was the best design I've ever come up with." A foot came sailing for his head, but he recovered from his dream-like state soon enough to jump out of the way.

"You pervert!" Ran roared, aiming another roundhouse kick at him. "That's my MOTHER you're talking about!"

"Aw, Ran-chan, I was only joking," Kaito choked down his giggle as his young pupil ran after him. "You know I never felt that way about Eri." He dodged her right uppercut, jumping up on the head of the couch. For a forty year old, he was still extremely athletic… probably because of Ran's frequent visits and frequent attempts to decapitate him. Besides, he never really did mature past twenty. _Duck, duck, dodge_. "I'm committed to my darling Aoko, remember?"

"So how come you were so flirty with me when you still didn't know who I was?!" She continued her assault on Kaito, though she could never get more than a swipe at him. He moved too fast! Crouched up on a table, he stuck his tongue out at her, and Ran laughed despite herself. "Start acting your age, would you?!"

"_Never_!!" He captured Ran's wrist in mid-swing and held it firmly in front of him. Ran gasped. Kaito grinned darkly. "Tsk, tsk, Ran-chan. You didn't think you'd actually get me, did you?" He let go of her hand and jumped down from the table, walking away. Ran made no move to stop him. "You've still got a lot to learn."

XXXXXX

"Moving on," Kaito said a while later, replacing a chair that Ran had knocked over in her fury, "Any ideas as to who wants to off you?"

"Not one," she replied truthfully, now having returned to lounging on the couch. "It seemed like it came out of nowhere. The shots, I mean. I guess it could've been the police, but they just want to _catch _me, not kill me. Wait-" She sat up. "You don't think it's _them_, do you?"

Kaito leaned against the table, assuming a solemn countenance. "Actually, Ran-chan, I do. You didn't think you could go all this time and they _not_ be after you, did you?" Ran shrugged. Kaito clenched and unclenched his fists. "Eight years, and they're still as strong as ever…" he said absentmindedly. He turned his attention back to Ran. "Last chance, kid – stop this before you dig yourself into a hole I can't get you out of. These guys mean business, Ran… I should know; I was one of 'em. It's a wonder they didn't get hold of me after I left…"

"This is different! I'm not a member, never was, all I want is-"

"Revenge?" Kaito asked. Ran stayed quiet. "Revenge for your mother? Honestly, Ran, that's stupid. You're only one girl. The Black Organization spans over four countries on three continents. They have members counting in probably the hundred-thousands. Anything you _think_ you can do? They can top it, and in a hundredfold. Guaranteed." His eyes were imploring. "Please, Ran. It looks like this is getting a whole lot more serious. And you know how they work. The minute they see your pretty little face up on a rooftop somewhere they'll blow it off. This time you were lucky… next time, not so much."

Ran made a move to say something, but Kaito interjected with a frustrated sigh. "It's no use, is it? You're gonna keep being Psiren, no matter what I do or say." He shook his head. "You're stubborn just like your mother." He pushed off of the table, approaching her. Kaito ruffled her hair, smiling sadly. "Just… promise me something, okay? No more heists for awhile. Let everyone cool off for a bit. You don't want to catch Vermouth with her hackles raised, trust me."

Ran nodded, brushing his hand off. "Okay, I promise, Kaito-sensei. No more heists for a couple months or so. But that's all I can promise."

Kaito chuckled. "All right, I can agree to that." He yawned and stretched his back until he heard a pop. "So I guess you're staying here tonight, huh? You know where the extra sheets and everything are." He walked towards the bedroom he and Aoko shared, where his wife was fast asleep. It never ceased to amaze him how she could sleep through just about anything. "Oh, and if your Dad calls here looking for you, what should I say?"

Ran grinned. "You haven't seen me, because I'm sleeping over at Sonoko's."

Kaito looked back at her. "And if Sonoko calls?"

"Just tell her that I'm here."

"No prob. 'Night, Ran-chan. …Oh, and Ran? One more thing?"

"Yeah?"

"Never, _ever_ forget your Poker Face. If you've haven't learned anything else from me, learn that." And with that, he disappeared into the darkness of his room at the end of the hallway, leaving Ran to ponder the meaning behind his words.

--

"Okay! Here I go!" Shinichi reared his leg back, and with a precisely aimed kick the black and white soccer ball shot across the field to where Conan waited anxiously for it.

"Got it!" He cried enthusiastically, though it rolled past him and he had to chase after it a little. Conan stopped it with his foot and then turned around, shielding his small glove covered hand over his eyes as he searched for someone or something. He smiled, spotting Ran. "RAN-NEECHAN! Ran-neechan, did you see?!"

Ran's head snapped up from the book she was reading. Smiling back, she waved. "Yeah, Conan-kun! That was great! You'll be better than Shinichi in no time!"

Conan giggled. "Yeah, you bet!" Still smiling, Ran soon was back to being engrossed in the latest romance novel. She sighed peacefully. It was Sunday, the day right after the Psiren heist, and Ran, Shinichi, and Conan were spending some well-deserved down time at the park since the temperature had increased quite a bit since yesterday. Even the sun was out. It was Shinichi's idea, actually – Ran had just arrived home from Kaito's that morning and Shinichi was sitting on the steps with Conan.

"Wanna hang out at the park?" He had asked. Ran instantly agreed, though Shinichi hadn't really answered when she asked why.

"_What made you wanna go to the park all of the sudden?" She asked._

_Shinichi shrugged. "Why not? Besides, Conan wanted to."_

_Conan, though, had assured her later that that was not the case. "He's just mad 'cause he couldn't catch that thief-lady yesterday," he'd told her. "He came home last night in a really bad mood, but he was mumbling a lot of stuff, you know, the kind he does when he's tryna figure out somethin'. He said this morning that he was going to take me to the park to make up for not taking me downtown to see the heist, but _I_ wanted to watch the Masked Yaiba marathon!" Conan pouted. "He just made up excuses so _he_ could come, so he could play soccer and think stuff through like he _always_ does. Plus, I think he wanted to see you, Ran-neechan. You mellow him out."_

Ran found that to be extremely ironic, but she appreciated Conan's honesty – God knows Shinichi would never come out and say anything to her like that.

"Onii-chan," Conan rolled the soccer ball back and forth in front of him, his eyes determined. "Remember, you said you'd take me to see Masked Yaiba at the mall tomorrow if I can beat you. And then you'll have to spend all day with me and Ayumi-chan and Genta and Mitsuhiko and a whole bunch of other little kids! Won't it be fun?"

Shinichi laughed nervously. "Yeah, Conan, fun." _'There's no _way_ I'm losing this one!'_ "Pass the ball over here already! We don't have all day!"

Conan nodded. "Right! First person to get three goals wins!" He waved back at Ran. "Neechan! Keep score for us, okay?" Ran gave Conan a thumbs up, and then he let the ball go. It sped across the meadow and towards Shinichi. For a moment it looked like it would make it into the makeshift garbage-can basket that they were using as a goal, but then Shinichi jumped in front of it and kicked it back. Conan leapt for it, but it raced past him and slammed into the basket.

"Goal! One point!" Shinichi roared. Conan stuck his tongue out at him, but Ran cheered obligingly from her place sitting on a park bench. Conan retrieved the ball and kicked it back into play. Teenage detective and pint-size wonder kid charged after it, and they kicked it back and forth between them as they tried to score.

"NYAH! I'm not gonna lose!" Conan whined. "Hey!" He yelled, as Shinichi stole the ball and started toward the other direction. "That's cheating!" Full of – what he thought to be – righteous fury, Conan charged after his older brother in an attempt to stop him. Shinichi was much faster, however. He laughed triumphantly. He stopped a couple feet from the can and moved to make a powerful kick, but just as his leg rose all the way he stopped. Conan was closing in. With a sideways glance and whistling an innocent tune, he kicked the ball hard, but instead of going straight it shot diagonally and quickly passed the goal. Conan pounced on it, kicked it the other way, and shot it in the goal.

"Hurray!" Conan jumped up and down. "I did it! I beat Nii-chan!"

"You haven't beaten me yet, squirt!" Shinichi held up two fingers. "You still have to score two more times."

Conan pumped his fists enthusiastically. "No PROBLEM!" They continued on like that - kicking, shooting, and scoring - for another half an hour, until they were tied, 2-2.

"Next one wins it!" Shinichi announced.

Ran laughed lightly, closing her book. It was obvious that Shinichi was holding back, but the risk of losing to his brother and having to go to a Masked Yaiba concert would surely push him to use his full ability. And Conan was looking pretty tired, while Shinichi had hardly broke a sweat. _'Uh-oh,'_ Ran thought. _'I think I should even the score a little.'_

"Take… THIS!" Conan swung his leg back just as Shinichi appeared out of nowhere and stole it. "Hey! No fair!" Shinichi cackled arrogantly. But something awaited him at the end of the field that he hadn't counted on - Ran.

"_Eh_?!"

Ran plundered the soccer ball and ran off kicking it, laughing wildly. "Conan!" She screamed across the field. "Catch!" She passed it to Conan, who shot it to the garbage can. It went in.

"GOAL!" Ran and Conan yelled, running up to each other, hugging and laughing. "We win, we win!" Ran picked Conan up and hugged him to her. "You did it, Conan-kun! You beat Shinichi!"

"YAY!" Conan crowed.

Shinichi sweatdropped, eye twitching. _'Why do I have the feeling that the whole world has it out for me?' _

"…Shinichi?"

He turned, surprised at hearing his name called. His eyes widened. "Kimiko?" Conan and Ran stopped celebrating, and Ran paid close attention to the teenage girl standing in front of them.

Kimiko Aikazawa stood at about five feet four, with light brown shoulder-length hair and hazel eyes. She wore a deep maroon winter coat and a pair of khakis. A Labrador Retriever puppy ran in and out between her legs and got increasingly tangled in its leash. Ran, of course, had met her before - or at the very least heard of her; she was the treasurer for Teitan High School's student council. Although a lot of the work she did was behind the scenes, everyone knew her as a sweet, proactive girl with a good head on her shoulders.

"Shinichi," Kimiko smiled, sidestepping to prevent her dog from tripping her. "What a surprise to see you here! I figured you'd be sleeping in after being up so late last night."

Shinichi chuckled, but rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment. "Yeah, but I'm okay though. Conan just wanted some fresh air." Conan elbowed Ran in the side to get her attention and then rolled his eyes, but Ran simply shushed him.

"Oh! That's right; you said your little brother was coming to stay with you. Is that him, over there?" She pointed to Conan, who had gotten bored and was now carving his name into the thin layer of snow on the ground with a stick he had found. Ran crouched next to him, and obligingly swiped his hand away whenever he tried to scoop up a bit of dirty snow to see what it tasted like.

"Yeah, that's him. And you know Ran, right?" He led her over to introduce them. Conan was skeptical of the new girl at first, but the moment he saw the Labrador puppy he was sold.

"His name is Bippi," Kimiko added helpfully. "He's really sweet, Conan-kun. Do you want to pet him?" Conan nodded excitedly, reaching out his hand hesitantly to let Bippi sniff it. Bippi barked happily, licking Conan's small fingers. The young grade-schooler squealed in delight.

"Puppy!" Conan cooed, rubbing the dog's head. "Nii-chan, if I'm really good can I have a puppy, too?"

Ran smiled a little, standing back and watching Kimiko and Conan play with Bippi-chan.

Conan threw a Frisbee she'd brought across the meadow, and the chubby little butterball of a puppy bounded after it, pouncing on the disc once it landed. Not exactly championship material, Ran thought, but it worked for him.

Here and now, Ran decided she had a lot to be thankful for. She had loving friends and family and a good life. Even her late night masquerade as the Psiren had provided some golden opportunities for her. Ran couldn't quite figure out why, but she felt more…. confident now, and more assertive. If not for Psiren, Ran severely doubted that she would've gone ahead and told Shinichi her feelings in the first place.

She grinned as Kimiko made a snowball and chucked it at Shinichi, starting a full-on snowball fight. Perhaps Ran hadn't gotten everything she had wanted…

…But the light in his eyes was enough. Ran wasn't sure where the sudden enlightenment had come from, but she was grateful for it. Just for the afternoon, Ran could afford to let all the troubles with her night job and her love life be put to rest in favor of just having a little fun. The Black Organization would probably be a cause for concern, but not now. Nothing could touch her now.

Ran let go of a breath she didn't even know she was holding. She felt better, somehow. A bubbly laugh erupted from her as she chased Bippi and Conan through the snow, allowing the cold wind to brush her bare hands and face. In all her excitement, she didn't even notice the captivated gleam Shinichi's eyes got as he looked at her.

- - - - -

- - - - -

- - - - -

**A/N**: It's been almost a year, but finally, a new chapter! I'm sorry for the long wait, guys. But finally a couple things about Kaito and Ran have been cleared up! Hmm… so Kaito was a member of the Black Organization?! Le gasp! And he knew Eri?! Double gasp! The plot thickens!

Next time, on '**Don't Play by the Rules**': Shinichi does a little research on the Phantom Thief Psiren, with some interesting results. Ran and Sonoko bond over tempura… and the Black Organization makes its next move.


	6. Sleight of Hand

**Disclaimer**: View previous chapters.

--

**Don't Play by the Rules**

Chapter Five: Sleight of Hand

Shinichi sat in silence at his computer in his father's study, staring unblinkingly at the screen. His hands were clasped together; chin resting on top, as he quickly scanned the webpage's contents. A large picture at the top of the page showed the Psiren, smiling mischievously at the camera. Directly underneath read the caption: _"The Phantom Thief Psiren, as she first appeared eighteen years ago." _Shinichi gazed at the photo a moment longer before moving to select a minimized file on his desktop. As his cursor rolled over it, he clicked with his mouse, and the window expanded to full screen. On this webpage was yet another image of the thief, only this was dated at the last heist, a month or so ago. His eyes flicked back and forth, photo to photo, past to present. The sly, taunting expression on the infamous thief's countenance was the same, but something seemed a little… off. And after sitting here in the near dark for over an hour, Shinichi still couldn't figure out exactly why.

His eyebrows creased. "Why do I get the feeling that there's something crucial I'm missing…? It's right in front of me, but what? Why can't I see it?" Shinichi clicked back to the first window and read the information neatly printed below the image:

"_The Phantom Thief Psiren is known by many names, (The Sly Fox, the White Sprite, She-devil) all of which resonate deep with the people who hear them. The Psiren has been a fascinating yet bizarre character that has rocked the modern world ever since her very first appearance eighteen years ago in Paris, France. Dressed in nothing but a bright white costume reminiscent of a ballet leotard, Psiren swooped in to steal the priceless Eagle's Eye Pearl and vanished just as quickly. Ever since that first escape – which had her soaring right off the Eiffel Tower via glider – Psiren's heists have been recorded at fifty-six with her spiriting away with countless valuable gems and artifacts priced in the hundreds of millions from all over the world. In her first year alone, Psiren stole eight jewels and five paintings for a total amount of about 2,882,750,000 ¥."_

Shinichi let out an impressed whistle. Going over the figures quickly in his head, 2,882,750,000 yen was equivalent to about 25 million US dollars. 12,457,500 British pounds! _'Well she sure isn't hurting for money!'_ He thought sardonically. He scrolled down and continued reading.

"_By the middle of her second year, however, her activity had begun to decrease. With more and more time being spaced between heists, she seemed to disappear altogether by May of that year. Except for a couple of amateur copycats and giddy enthusiasts, Psiren faded from the world's view and mind for two full years."_

'_So she's done the disappearing act before.'_ He wondered what she could've been doing during the eight years she was gone the last time. _'Maybe she bought an island somewhere and was just enjoying her score for a while.' _Shinichi's eye twitched. '…_Yeah, right_.' Shinichi didn't believe for a second that a thief of the Psiren's caliber would stop pilfering just because she was high on the haul.

"_Unexpectedly, and without warning – as is customary with her style – Psiren once again appeared in Paris after her long hiatus. Despite having one of the most sophisticated systems in the known world, the Louvre was robbed of the invaluable Mona Lisa, sending all of France and in turn the entire world into an uproar. But when the display was checked just the next day, the painting had been returned, along with a hurried note by its former captor: _'Just to prove that I could… -Psiren.' _In her extensive track record, stealing the Mona Lisa has been her most impressive feat to date, and has become the task for which she is most famous. Skeptics rallied together over the authenticity of the recovered piece, but it was proven official by numerous attempts to discredit it."_

"_The Psiren's triumphant return marked a new development in her dealings; though her heists were carried out in the same manner as before, every gem, painting, and ancient artifact was returned the following day. What's more, Psiren's haphazard pattern had been modified to include only jewels. To this day it is not known what caused this change, but Psiren continued in this way for seven years. Only one small jewel was never returned – a finely cut emerald of surprisingly simple origins. Authorities and scholars struggle to discover the significance of it."_

"_At the end of this seven year span, Psiren the Phantom Thief held her final heist. Witnesses nearby noticed that she seemed distracted and her whole operation "sloppy and rushed", though she escaped with her prize anyway. Life passed on, and after that night the Psiren's call seemed to have been silenced forever. By the time five years had gone by, the public had presumed her dead, since this was more than twice the amount of time that had passed during her last 'break'. _

_Is Psiren playing a huge prank on us all?_

_It would seem so, as Psiren has been spotted in Japan, eight years later, back to her favorite late night hobby. Is it the one and only? Or has an elaborate trickster come to take her place? Investigators don't think so. The style is the same, the costume is the same, the facial features and mannerisms are the same, as well as the gadgets… all things virtually impossible to duplicate. _

_Whatever the truth may be, we can all agree on one thing… if this really _is_ an attempt at humor, Psiren has just made fools of us all."_

Shinichi pulled away from the computer desk, rubbing his sore eyes. "Man, what a headache this has turned out to be." He stood from his chair and stretched his long limbs. "It doesn't make sense. Why did Psiren disappear those two times, and for so long? And how could she possibly benefit from stealing something and _bringing it back_?!" He began to pace back and forth, two pairs of tired eyes watching him from the couch. "There's no way the Psiren then and the Psiren now can even be the same person – she'd have to be at _least_ 40 years old!"

"It's not so impossible, when you think about it Shinichi," Professor Agasa pointed out. "With all the advances we've made in technology - more specifically, cosmetology - a woman can do a lot to alter her appearance: erase wrinkles, dye her hair, breast lifts, face lifts, plastic surgery…" He ticked off each one on his fingers. "Not to mention old fashion exfoliating and exercise, of course."

Shinichi glanced at him over his shoulder. "Yeah, but still, I have a weird feeling."

Conan leaned against the window, watching the rain form puddles on the lawn. "Maybe she just died and it's her clone back from the dead," He deadpanned, bored. No sun and no play left Conan a dull boy. He drew shapes in the condensation caused by the cold. "Seriously nii-chan, you always have to make a big deal out of stuff," he mumbled, the weather putting him in a bad mood.

Shinichi chose to ignore him, or rather, didn't hear. His eyes narrowed, his gaze becoming distant. "Something… but, damnit, what is it?"

--

Tequila's breath came out in a sigh, the cigarette fumes wafting around him. He sat his smoldering cigarette butt in the ashtray, his eyes trained on the figure sitting opposite him. "So…" He drawled slowly, "who is it ya want me to kill?"

Vermouth grinned. "Now, now… don't get ahead of yourself." She glanced over her shoulder, narrowing her eyes at a too-interested waiter. He jumped at the deadly glare and scurried away to the kitchens. "Anyway," she continued, unfazed. "It's too early to be concerned with murder just yet. I have other plans for you and your partner at this particular moment. Something I know Rum is quite good at, particularly." She traced a long, slender finger around the edge of her wine glass, looking him meaningfully in the eye. "Deceit."

"Ah," Tequila smirked. "Blackmails, betrayals, laundering, frauds… You always leave us with the dirty stuff, boss." He downed his own glass. "I must say, Rum loves you fer it, but I have ta admit that I'm a lil' anxious for some blood to be spilled."

"As am I, as am I. But before we can eliminate the source of our troubles we must lure them out to the trap. The last attempt was too sloppy – Gin and Vodka are paying dearly for it, I assure you - and our target was able to get away." Vermouth clenched her hands into fists. "I will _not _allow that to happen again."

Tequila leaned back in his chair, pulling out a new smoke and lighting up. "But you haven't heard of 'er since, right?" He exhaled. "Maybe she really is dead, then."

Eyes narrowed and head bowed, Vermouth frowned. "No, she _is_ alive." She brought shaking hands up to her face, and Tequila suddenly noticed how pale and slick her skin was getting in the dim light of the room. His eyes widened and his gut tightened painfully. _Never_, in all the years he had worked for her, had he ever seen his boss openly show weakness. But here she was, having what appeared to be a small fit. "And," she whispered sharply, "If I'm correct, _he_ is alive, as well."

Vermouth didn't elaborate. But then, she didn't have to. The newly lit cigarette dropped from Tequila's still fingers. "Holy…" He slammed his hands against the table, and the glasses wobbled precariously. "Yer kidding! That tricky son of a bitch is alive!? That… that damned Kai-" Vermouth gave him a warning glance, and he promptly lowered his voice. "You mean ta tell me… that it's been eight years and _both_ of those traitors are still _**breathin'**_? _How?!_"

"Yes," she growled, eyes narrowed into slits. "How, indeed. I don't know what they may or may not be planning, but I won't make the mistake of underestimating those two. Not again. They have a lot to answer for, and I'll make sure they pay for every bit of trouble they've caused me over the years. That's where you and Rum come in. It appears that our lovely little _Margarita_ is still looking for the prize. Well, let us help her in finding it. I'm sure it won't take much of your talents to entice her…" Vermouth raised an eyebrow at him.

Tequila nodded. "Of course." He snatched his discarded and still burning cigarette off the table and crushed it in his big hand. He didn't even flinch. Both patrons stood solemnly, and Tequila let the destroyed mass of tobacco ashes fall from his grasp and sprinkle the floor. The door burst open just then, and a lower-level operative rushed in with a message for the boss. He whispered it to her hurriedly, then flinched and fled as she growled in response and threatened to use him for target practice.

"What?" Tequila asked hesitantly.

"Two words: Shinichi Kudo."

Tequila's mouth curled into a feral smirk. "He's getting nosy."

Vermouth gave a curt nod. "He was seen snooping around the scene a couple days ago, looking for suspects and motive, I'd assume…"

He chuckled. "Well, well… looks like I get to have some fun after all. A nosy detective and an infamous thief… I get ta kill 'em both all at once." Tequila shook with malevolent glee. "But you don't know where Bourbon is?"

Vermouth ran her hands agitatedly through her hair, sighing. "No."

Tequila's smile stretched further. "Perfect."

--

Ran read the newspaper article with interest. "A new exhibit at a gallery in Osaka… rare paintings and gems of unknown origins… next Thursday night, 10 p.m." Her eyes narrowed. "Hmm." For a moment, Kaito's warning came to mind, and she almost gave up on the item of her interest. But this was an opportunity too good to be true. The article practically screamed to her: "Looking for the Pandora? Well, look no further!!" Still, she had reason to feel incredulous. Something just didn't… _feel _right.

"Hey, nee-chan?" Conan tugged on her sleeve. "Where are we going? You told nii-chan that you were just taking me out for ice cream."

Ran smiled, ruffling his hair like he knew he hated. "Of course I am, Conan-kun. I just have to run an errand first." Without looking away from her paper, she reached into her purse and pulled out a sealed envelope, sticking it into the mailbox of the house she was in front of. "There! See? All I had to do was mail something." She balled up the newspaper and stuffed it into her bag. "Now! What kind of ice cream do you like?"

Conan stared at her oddly. "Um… butterscotch. Nee-chan, why did you stick that letter into that mailbox, instead of just giving it right to Megure-keibu?"

"Oh, no reason. I didn't want to bother him." She started walking again, glancing behind her to see Megure just as he appeared on his front doorstep to check his mail. He spotted her as he walked out in his robe, and gave a little smile and a wave as he opened the box. Ran eagerly returned the gesture. Conan attempted to turn around to see who she was waving at, but Ran shuffled him quickly along. "Come on, Conan-kun! Last one to the ice cream parlor has to pay!" Conan's eyes widened, and he practically sprinted down the street to the store on the corner. Ran giggled.

A loud, crashing sound from behind made her laughs increase even more. She spared a glance over her shoulder to see Megure ripping his mail to pieces and fuming silently. An innocent trashcan had been victimized in his rage. Ran whipped her head back around and increased her pace as she struggled to keep from laughing out loud. _'Wow, I _really_ love doing that.'_

Unbeknownst to her, a young boy was watching her expression closely, his gaze critical.

--

"Hey, Ran?"

She looked up from dipping her shrimp. "Yes, Sonoko-chan?" Until Sonoko had spoken, a comfortable silence had passed between them as they ate.

Sonoko grinned. "Brad Pitt or Johnny Deep?"

The side of Ran's mouth twitched up in a smile. "Umm… Brad Pitt. Johnny Deep's way too creepy."

"_Ran!"_ Sonoko gasped, swatting her on the arm. "How could you even _say_ such a horrendous, blasphemous thing?!"

"What? You did ask for my opinion."

"But Johnny Deep? Creepy? And how could you choose Brad Pitt over the lovable pirate? Seriously, Ran!"

Ran giggled. In honor of passing their final exams, Ran and Sonoko had spent the whole afternoon together, gossiping, watching movies and eating junk food. Now, they were eating tempura shrimp in a little restaurant Sonoko had picked. It was a little upscale for Ran's tastes, but their food was awfully good. Their table sat in front of a large picture window, and Ran had been entertaining herself quite a bit by watching the sun set in the distance. Ran smiled contentedly as her splayed over her teacup, watching the steam rise from the piping hot liquid. If she could be anywhere right now, it'd be here.

"So…" Palms face down on the table, Sonoko leaned forward, smirking. "How's things going with that detective geek of yours?"

"What?!" Ran blushed and glanced down at her hands. "_Sonoko_, what kind of question - "

"Ran, don't try to pretend you're still okay with _him_," she spat the word, "dating _her._ Especially since you still like him."

"Why do we have to talk about this every time I see you?" Ran asked, exasperated.

"Because I'm your best friend! It's my job to make sure you don't get your heartbroken by some idiotic obsessed boy who doesn't even have a clue! Well, his family has money… that's a thing in his favor, I guess, but… still! I think of it as my civil duty to protect you from him!"

"But… Sonoko, I've already told him how I feel…" It was a bit ironic that her best friend was more concerned with her love life than she was.

"And that's what I'm talking about! I've failed as your friend! I wasn't able to save you from getting hurt."

Ran's gaze softened, and her heart felt warm. "Sonoko-chan…" She couldn't think of anything to say to that. Though it touched her deeply that Sonoko cared so much, she really just wanted her to let it go. Every time she thought of Shinichi, she still couldn't prevent her heart from skipping a beat. But it was always replaced by the realization that he just didn't like her _that way. _

Ran wasn't really surprised; she didn't have much experience with the wonder and complication that was boys.

'_I miss mom_,' Eri would've helped her with her boy troubles. She'd know what to do. When she had died, Ran was only nine; she hadn't needed all the advice she currently needed now. An image of startling blue eyes gleaming through a white mask flashed in her head. '_Boys aren't the only thing I need advice for…' _

"Sonoko," Ran wondered aloud, "What about you? I haven't seen you with any boys lately…"

Her friend's head snapped up. "Look at you, trying to change the subject! I'm not the one with the problem here!" She shook her head. "Anyway," Sonoko continued, and Ran was surprised to see her blushing. "What about that Psiren, huh? I hear she's having another heist planned. Ran, the two of us should totally go!"

"Eh?" Ran looked confused. "What, like together?"

Sonoko rolled her eyes. "Of course, silly! The last one was _so_ intense… there was a shoot-out and everything, I heard! My cousin, Yamato – who is _totally _reliable, by the way – was there, and he said Psiren was being targeted by some sick psycho pervert who was trying to catch her and make her his sex slave! She got pissed and totally got away, but not before showing him a thing or two!" Sonoko leaned forward and whispered conspiratorially. "I even heard, that she like, castrated the bastard!" She grinned. "That's why she's been gone this last month; she's been fighting crime! Saving the weak and the down trodden and looking good doing it! And just imagine if we had been there to see it!" Sonoko sighed in wonder. "What I wouldn't give for an outfit like hers…"

Ran laughed nervously. "Hahaha… sure, Sonoko." _'Is that what people think of me? Sheesh…'_

"So?" Sonoko looked at her expectantly. "Are you in or not?"

"Uh, sure, I guess." There really was no way for her to get out of it. She'd just have to figure out some alibi once they got there, Ran figured. She gave a long-suffering sigh. This was going to be a _long_ week…

--

The moonlight filtered through the half open blinds, spilling upon the carpeted floor. Soft music played from the radio, and Kogoro slept fitfully on the couch. Ran sighed a she sidestepped a small pile of garbage lying on the floor in front of her father. She bent over and methodically picked up the trash. Besides the constant snoring, the atmosphere was peaceful.

Wiping the sweat off her brow, Ran tied her garbage bag and sat down on the edge of Kogoro's desk. Everything was neat and tidy… for the moment. Her eyes drifted closed in exhaustion, lulled by the light piano tune playing in the background. The clock read 11:00 P.M.

A sudden knocking on the front door jolted Ran painfully awake. Kogoro inhaled deeply and snorted, rolling over and mumbling something about noisy squirrels, but otherwise was left undisturbed by the late night interruption. Ran got up to answer the door.

Inspector Megure stood on the landing in his heavy raincoat with a rather perturbed expression on his face. He blinked, apparently to relieve his cluttered thoughts, and then cleared his throat. "Ran-chan," he smiled. "I'm probably pushing my luck by coming so late, but your father wouldn't happen to be awake and _sober_, would he?"

Ran smiled apologetically. "I'm sorry, but he's not. Is it important? You could always come back tomorrow… preferably around the afternoon…"

Jyuuzou shook his head, his face serious. "No, I'm afraid it can't wait. He'll just have to get over it." Ran nodded reluctantly, stepping aside to let him in. The stout police inspector walked with a purposeful stride over to the couch and clamped on to Detective Mouri's shoulders. "Oi! Wake up, ya good fer nothing drunk!" Ran winched internally at his harsh tone. Megure shook him violently until he noticed his bleary eyes slide open.

"…What?" Kogoro mumbled, yawning and rubbing his eyes. "Damnit, I was in the middle of the bestest dream…"

"Look, I can't believe I'm asking, but I need your help." Kogoro straightened slightly in attention. "This Psiren case is a hell of a lot harder than I'd thought it'd be. She's evaded all our attempts to catch her and made the whole batch of us look like fools! Even Kudo-kun-" Kogoro grunted out something about 'arrogant little detective bastards' – "couldn't get too close, though he did better than the rest of us." Megure leaned forward until their noses touched and he could smell the strong stench of alcohol on his drunken associate's breath. "Listen! We need the extra manpower, so I'm asking for your assistance, _detective_. Please don't make me regret it."

"O-of course! I won't let you down, Megure!" Kogoro grinned stupidly. "My first big case in months!" He turned excitedly to his daughter. "Ran, looks like we'll be keeping the place after all!"

"Don't joke around about things like that!" Ran retorted hotly.

"…Well, technically you wouldn't get paid until after - "

"Just tell me what I have to do, inspector!" Mouri was already fantasizing about all the things he'd spend his paycheck on. His hangover had all but disappeared at the mention of money. Megure's hand connected with his face. "Ugh…"

Ran struggled to keep her face neutral, but failed as a snicker escaped her. Megure glared at her half-heartedly. She smiled in return.

- - - - -

- - - - -

- - - - -

**A/N: **I'd just like to take the time to tell you people that I got a laptop for my birthday! Yay!! Her name is Sylvia, and she's extremely spiffy. Hopefully, having my own computer will make updates a lot faster and relatively stress-free… hopefully.

Also, I went back and edited the past chapters. Just some spelling and grammar and little additions here and there, you know. Next chapter should be up in a week or two.

Next time, on** 'Don't Play by the Rules**': _'It wasn't meant to be like this…' _The worst has happened… blood has been spilled. This isn't a game anymore, Ran…


	7. The Eleventh Hour

**Disclaimer**: View previous chapters.

**Warning:** This chapter contains graphic violence, some naughty words, and character deaths. Personally I don't think it's anything worthy of an M rating, but for the more sensitive readers… you have been _warned_!

**A/N**: Wow… this is definitely a long one… better find a comfy seat, folks.

--

**Don't Play by the Rules**

Chapter Six: The Eleventh Hour

Tequila sat quietly, running the polishing cloth over his .357 Magnum revolver as Rum obsessed over a large pile of money on the coffee table. "Ten thousand and fifty-two… Ten thousand and fifty-three… ten thousand and fifty- ah shit, I lost count."

Tequila grinned at her. "Don't worry, Rum. It's all there. You've counted it three times already." His fingers deftly loaded his gun with bullets, and the orange hue of the streetlights outside cast a warm glow against the hard metal of the pistol. "I wouldn't be surprised if ya could tell me the ID numbers on the shit."

"Hush, you," she mumbled, wrapping the notes according to size. "I need _something_ to occupy me – you're always cleaning that damned gun and we can't actually begin for hours now." She flipped her long jet black hair over her shoulder and glanced at Tequila fleetingly. "Your obsession with weapons confounds me, Tequila."

"And your obsession with money confounds _me,_" He barked back. Rum chuckled darkly. "I don't see why," she chirped innocently, fanning her face with the notes. "Money makes the world go 'round, dear. Money is the foundation of society. With money, comes power. With power, comes respect. With respect comes fear…" Her eyes got a dreamy quality to them. Rum sighed. "With fear… everything else falls into place." She purred seductively. "No matter how you go about getting it, money is forever." Rum raised a stack to her nose and took a long whiff. "_Much _better than diamonds," she said in a sing-song voice. Tequila grimaced in obvious disgust.

"Though, I must admit, weapons have their value as well." A small blade was removed from somewhere on her person. Without a flinch, she dug the sharp edge into her hand, producing a thin and shallow, but rapidly bleeding, cut. Rum watched the bright red fluid run down her arm with an almost ravenous expression. Anxiously, Tequila watched as she brought the wound to her mouth and took a long, deliberate lap at the blood. She moaned in pleasure, and Tequila's skin was prickled with goose bumps.

A touch of blood still painting her lips, she smiled: "I can't wait until we can get her." She pulled her hair back, revealing a large, raised scar cutting into her shoulder underneath the tank top she wore. Her hand rubbed it absentmindedly. "That bitch, Margarita… I can't wait until I pay her back. I'll kill her, I'll strangle her… I'll make her pay for what she's done to me…" She looked into Tequila's carefully blank countenance, and he stiffened. Two eyes. One pale grey, unseeing, and one emerald green; a deep disfiguring scar slashing through her top and lower lip. If it weren't for her physical defects and the crazed disposition she called her own, Rum would actually be quite attractive.

"That "Psiren"… I'll pay her back… for _all_ of it." And then, with an angry battle cry, she lunged back and through her knife at the wall. With a loud _thunk! _, it implanted in the wooden paneling, landing right in the center of a picture of the famous thief herself.

--

"Ran?" Sonoko's excited voice carried across the room. She bounced happily up and down. "Are you ready? Come on, we have to get their early if we want to get a spot close to the front!" She was wearing a turquoise jogging suit with a shirt underneath proclaiming, "Psiren is my HERO!" in big, purple letters. Below that was a copy of one of Ran's small caricatures, which she herself had copied from her mother's original. "It's at least two and a half hours to Osaka! If we want to get there before 11, we need to leave _now_."

"Yes, yes! I'm coming, Sonoko-chan. Just let me grab my things." Outwardly, she seemed calm, but inside she was a mess. Sonoko's constant presence today caused problems as far as an alibi. How could she change into the Psiren when her best friend was always just a little ways away? As if to add on to her worries, Kogoro walked into the living room just then, his suit cleaned and pressed and his facial hair trimmed and his eyes _not_ bloodshot… It was the best looking Ran had seen him in months.

"Oi, Ran, what are you doing? The next train leaves in half an hour and I'm not about to wait another hour for the next one." He folded his arms and gave a perfect impression of an annoyed, impatient father waiting on his daughter. "The tickets were expensive enough as it is."

Ran rolled her eyes and smirked. "Coming, coming!" She slipped her backpack on and sped over to the front door where Sonoko was waiting. Her friend assessed her quickly. "Ran, aren't you forgetting something?"

"Huh?" She glanced down at herself, twisting to look at her bag. "What? Did I forget to pack my toothbrush? My purse?" Sonoko's eye twitched in annoyance. Something in Ran's mind clicked. "Oh… that." Sighing, she pulled a balled up T-shirt out of her pack and slipped it on. It was almost identical to Sonoko's, only the words were written in deep blue, and her caricature had her tongue sticking out. Looking down at it, Ran felt it was silently mocking her and her predicament. _'Curse you…'_ she told it, eyes narrowed.

"All right! _Now_ we're all set!" Sonoko pushed the door open with a flourish and grabbed Ran's arm. "Let's go!"

As Sonoko ran down the steps to the waiting taxi, Ran dragging after her, Kogoro simply sighed and stuck his hands in his pockets. "Women…" he mumbled, walking to the yellow vehicle decidedly much slower.

/--/

Elsewhere in Tokyo, a similar situation was taking place at the Kudo residence. Conan bounced up and down on his brother's bed as Shinichi speculated on exactly what he should bring to his trip to Osaka for the heist. "Do I need extra socks?" He glanced down at his purple spot-covered toes. It produced a sigh from him, but he didn't move to pack more socks. _'I _really_ wish Conan wouldn't take my stuff hostage…'_ He still couldn't find his watch from the last time Conan had gotten into his drawers; chances were that he wouldn't be seeing his regular socks again for another month.

"Nii-chan! Nii-chan!" Each syllable was emphasized by another bounce. "Can I go? You said I could go this time, right? I get to be a detective! Just like nii-chan and otou-san's characters in his books! Can I go, nii-chan? Please, please, _please_?"

Shinichi spared a glance over his shoulder and smiled at his energetic little brother. "Yeah, I told you that you could, didn't I?" He crouched down until he was at eye level with Conan. "You're going back home soon; least I can do is let you get what you want this time." He ruffled his hair as was customary with their relationship, and for once Conan didn't mind. He bobbed his head and gave a bright smile.

"THANK YOU!" He wrapped his small arms around Shinichi's neck, burying his face into his big brother's shoulder. "You're the best, nii-chan. I wanna be a cool detective just like you when I grow up."

"You'll have to work real hard to do that, squirt." Despite his teasing, Shinichi's face softened into a tender smile. Times like these made him glad he was had a kid brother… even if the thought of his creation still made him shudder in disgust to this day. Having Conan here for the past few months made him realize just how boring and lonely it was in this big house without him.

…What made him stay? As much as he pretended, the fame wasn't _that_ important to him. He could always get more fangirls. Sometimes, when he was stuck in his house doing homework or looking through case files, he wondered about the whys. But in response to that question, the only answer he could come up with was a _who: _Ran Mouri. He knew that the only reason he had stayed behind in this big, empty mansion while his mother, father, and little brother – whom he adored – went to America was because of _her_; his childhood friend. She was the one who he used to have sleepovers with. The one who came over to see about him when he was sick. The one who always spent the evenings next to him on his couch, while they studied together and watched cheesy movies. Ran was always there, even when others weren't. While fangirls constantly bombarded his phone line and mailbox with revering letters and declarations of love, Ran cooked for him when he was sick of take-out. She threw away the junk in the back of the fridge when it got moldy and slapped some sense into him – quite literally – when his head got too big. Ran Mouri… his childhood friend, his _best _friend. A friend who, incidentally, was also in love with him. And the only thing he could do when she had told him was to reject her and walk away. To this day, he felt like scum whenever he was around her too long. Even if there was nothing else he could've done, it didn't change the fact that he'd hurt her; the one thing he thought he'd never be capable of doing. For once, Shinichi Kudo, super genius prodigy, had been _wrong._

"Oh yeah, nii-chan! I forgot to tell you." Conan pulled away from the warmth of Shinichi's body, startling his brother out of his reverie as he started bouncing again. "Guess what Ran-neechan told me the other day! She said that she and Sonoko-san are going to Osaka for the big case, too! Isn't that great nii-chan?"

Shinichi managed to smile. "Yeah, great." He grabbed the few things he packed for the trip and headed for the door, Conan tagging close behind him. His eyes had a determined glint to them. Just a couple more hours, and he'd be back in his comfort zone, solving cases and exercising his mind. Just a few more hours until he saw her again, and his excitement at spending time with one of his favorite people would intermingle with his trepidation.

Just a few more hours… until he had to pretend again.

/--/

The sidewalks of downtown Osaka were particularly crowded for this time of night, and Heiji knew why. The famous thief was to appear somewhere in the vicinity soon. She had never held a heist here before, seeming to prefer areas further east and inland, so the fans and officials alike had turned out in mass proportions. It was the reason why Heiji was here as well, only he wasn't here for the blatant fanfare.

The air was warm and humid, causing the Detective of the West to shed his light jacket. As he maneuvered through the crowds to the gallery where his father and the other officers were waiting, an irritated voice reached Heiji's ears from somewhere off to his side. Glancing over, he wasn't surprised to see it was Kazuha. "Heiji!" She shouted over the dull roar of city life, "I've been calling you for _five_ minutes! I know it's pretty empty inside that head of yours but you should _at least_ be able to hear me when I'm standing six centimeters away from you!!" Hands planted on her hips, she glared at him with the ferocity of a woman disregarded. Heiji had known her forever, though, and thus was practically immune to such threats.

He sighed and stopped walking. "What is it, Kazuha?" He slid his hands in his pockets and gazed at her furtively. Kazuha had on yellow sundress that billowed in the light breeze coming off the ocean, a light peach colored sweater worn over it. Her hair was in its customary ponytail, bangs hanging down in her eyes. Heiji would be lying if he said he didn't like the way she looked. Of course, he'd never tell _her_ that. "Shouldn't you be at home, I don't know, cooking or something?"

"Why you sexist…" Kazuha clenched and unclenched her fists, taking a deep breath before whacking her friend right in the back of the head.

"Ow! What the-"

"AHOU!" She exploded. "The _only_ reason I came out here is because I was looking for _YOU_!!" Heiji rubbed the growing bump on his noggin. "Don't you forget that we have a big exam tomorrow, and you haven't even studied once! _You are going to fail and it's all because you lack a sense of priorities_!!"

Heiji glared back. "I don't need to study, ahou; I have straight A's! And for your information I'm excused from school tomorrow, so I can make up the stupid test next week!!"

Kazuha blinked, surprised. "…Oh." She struggled to form a response. "Um…why?"

"Because," Heiji said exasperatedly, as if the answer was perfectly obvious. "Dad is in charge of keepin' things under control for the Psiren heist, and he asked me to help."

"So what does he need you for?" Heiji rolled his eyes, mildly insulted, and continued walking, but slowly, letting Kazuha catch up. "I mean, you always attract dead bodies, not thieves. I didn't think this kind of case was your thing, Heiji."

Heiji grunted. "It's not. This Psiren woman really bugs me, though… I don't know why, but something's not right."

Kazuha gave him a sideways glance, eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Uh huh… you sure that's the _only_ reason why…?"

He turned. "What was that?"

"Oh nothing, nothing…"

Heiji rolled his eyes again. "Ahou."

"Detective MORON!" Kazuha kicked him in the shin for good measure.

--

There was something in the air – a building anticipation, the liveliness of the crowds… whatever it was, Ran was shaking with vigor, and her body coursed with adrenaline. Sonoko and Kogoro walked on either side of her as they pushed their way through the crowds to the gallery's main entrance. Their train had actually arrived a half an hour earlier, so it gave the travelers some time to enjoy the many pleasures of the big city. Now, though, the sun had become no more than a bright orange sliver on the horizon, and darkness had begun to settle in. The purple-navy hue of the sky only increased the thrum of excitement pulsing through the streets. The time was rapidly approaching. The eleventh hour was upon them.

"Ran!" Sonoko tugged on her arm and grinned. "Isn't this great? Oh my gosh, I can't believe we're actually here!" Making a grand, sweeping gesture towards the expansive building in front of them, Sonoko continued, "Just imagine – just another hour or so from now and Psiren will be coming right here! Are we lucky or _what_?!"

Ran smiled, nodding in agreement, though as soon as her friend was distracted by a nearby street performance, her eyes scanned the area with a calculating gleam. _'I only have a little time to come up with a plan,'_ she thought. Ditching her father would be easy enough, but Sonoko had a habit of attaching herself permanently to Ran's hip when she was especially excited about something. She took passing notice of all the nearby rooftops, the fire escapes, the crowd's density… anything and everything that could provide her with some sort of getaway, if it came to that. It helped for the upcoming heist too, of course. Ran's keen observational skills were something she had not only picked up from Kaito, but Shinichi as well, so she was particularly skilled at it now.

'_What's that…?' _Her attention fell on a tall, dark skinned man looking up at the gallery from across the street. By all accounts, he had average looks, was around the age of thirty or forty, and had a bushy moustache and sunglasses. A cigarette hung from his mouth, and his hands were shoved in his pockets. Rather ordinary, Ran thought. In fact, he wouldn't even have attracted her scrutiny, if not for his clothes – he was dressed entirely in black. A chill ran up Ran's spine. _'Could… could it be?!'_ Her chest tightened painfully as she stared at the man, and almost as if he had felt her stare, he turned, looking directly at her. She took an involuntary step back, but she couldn't bring herself to look away. A spell – a dreadful curse – had been cast on her; and for a moment she saw the instant of her death. The Black Organization members were skilled assassins - Ran could get shot in cold blood right on this street and no one would even see it coming.

A hand on her shoulder distracted her, and Ran whirled around. Sonoko was saying something, but Ran couldn't make it out. She was terrified, but she soon remembered her Poker Face, and a carefully placed mask of elation had slipped on. "Huh? What did you say, Sonoko? Sorry, I wasn't listening." She glanced surreptitiously over shoulder, but the man was gone. Her heart thundered against her chest, and her nails dug into her clenched fists. Small beads of blood formed on her palms.

Sonoko groaned next to her. "Ran, your dad just left to find some Heizo guy, and I'm hungry. Let's go get something to eat."

"You… go ahead," Ran deliberated. "I just remembered; I didn't get a souvenir! You can't come all the way to Osaka and not get a souvenir."

"Well, I can come with-"

"Oh that's okay, Sonoko-chan; if we waste too much time we won't be back in time for the big event!" She smiled. "You go grab us some food, and I'll get a mug or something, and we'll meet back in about twenty minutes."

Sonoko seemed reluctant, but nevertheless agreed. "…Okay, Ran… but if you're not back here on time I'm going without you! We both know how awful your sense of direction is!"

"Hey!"

Sonoko laughed at her indignation and walked off, disappearing in the cluttered mass of bodies. Once she was out of sight, Ran's expression darkened, and silently she slinked off to find her mysterious man in black.

/--/

Shinichi and Conan had just arrived, and they were tired. The worst thing you could possibly do was to take a three hour train ride with an energetic, easily bored seven-year-old. When he finally did see the Psiren, Shinichi severely doubted he'd be able to muster enough energy to keep up with her.

Even now, Conan was at his side, wide awake, staring in awe at the huge city and the many attractions that lined the streets. His bright eyes made Shinichi smile, and his smile grew even wider as he noticed a familiar head full of long brown hair hurrying past.

"Hey, Ran!"

"Ran-neechan!"

Ran stiffened at the sound of the high-pitched child's voice, but turned around anyway and pasted a big smile on her face. "Conan-kun!" She waved. The little boy skipped over happily, Shinichi keeping pace with a stride. Ran wondered if the gods really had it out for her today.

"Ran-neechan! Nee-chan, look! I got to come to the heist! I'm helping nii-chan catch the bad thief!"

"That's great, Conan-kun…"

Shinichi frowned at her. "Ran, where's Sonoko? I thought you were coming with her and your dad?"

Ran shrugged it off. "Oh, I don't know. Here or there, I really have no clue. Otou-san went to help the other officers, and Sonoko went to get food a while ago, so we split up. I'm going to meet her now." Out the corner of her eye, she spotted a tall man in a black trench coat retreating down an alleyway. "I'm sorry Shinichi, Conan-kun, but I _really_ have to go. Sonoko gets mad when I'm late." Before either boy could offer protest, she was already breaking into a run. "I'll meet up with you guys later, I promise! Good luck with catching Psiren, Shinichi!" She waved, and then vanished. The wheels in Shinichi's head were already turning. _'What's up with her?' _

Conan blinked, looking off in the direction Ran had gone. "Aw! Nee-chan's gone! Who's gonna see us catch the phantom thief now?"

Shinichi chuckled, reaching down to ruffle Conan's hair. But he stopped at the glare he received. "Come on, squirt," he said, unperturbed. "You get to see a hero in action today."

Conan looked up at him, eyes widening. "You mean… _Masked Yaiba's_ here?"

Shinichi groaned.

/--/

Several minutes later, Ran found herself in a dimly light, low traffic section of downtown. From what she saw, it appeared to be a red light district. She grimaced distastefully as she looked around, waiting for any trace of conspicuous looking thugs in black coats or shady business transactions. As she walked, she attracted the attention of countless men, apparently looking for a 'good time', but she simply ignored them. If she allowed herself to care, she'd more than likely get into a fight. And that definitely wouldn't be good for maintaining a cover.

"Excuse me, miss… aren't ya a little young to be in a sleazy place like this?"

Ran spotted a tall man leaning against a brick wall, smoking. The light of the overhanging streetlights did not reach his face, but the ember of his cigarette revealed dark sunglasses and tanned skin. Ran stiffened. "I'm just passing through, but thank you for concern." She bowed at the waist. "You wouldn't happen to know how I can get back to the main street, would you? I'm afraid I have a pretty rotten sense of direction."

The man chuckled, dropping his cigarette to the pavement and stomping it out. "Actually, I do. But I don't think you'll be needing that information at the moment."

"Really?" She kept her voice nonchalant, though she was prepared for the worse. "Why would you say that?"

"Because… I need to teach you a lesson…"

Ran crouched into a defensive position.

"…on Poker Face."

"…_What?!_"

Pulling of his sunglasses, the stranger pulled out a handkerchief and rubbed his face with it, removing a thick layer of makeup. Kaito's dark blue eyes and infectious smile grinned out at her. "Why hello, Ran-chan!" He chirped. "Fancy meeting you here."

Ran grinded her teeth, really considering following through with her plan to hit him. "_Kaito_… you mean that was _you?!"_

"Lucky thing, it was," he answered nonchalantly, sliding his shades back on. "The moment you saw me, you looked like a deer caught in the headlights. Now, now, Ran-chan, how many times have I taught you about Poker Face? It could save your life one day."

She sighed. "Yes, I know." She took a quick assessment of her surroundings, and then joined her sensei on the wall. "What are you doing here, Kaito-sensei?"

"Keeping you out of trouble, it seems. I thought we said no more heists-"

"For a _while,_" she finished. "It's been over a month, Kaito-sensei."

Kaito's eyebrows shot up over his glasses. "Not really what I had in mind, Ran."

She shrugged in reply. "What was I supposed to do? I couldn't pass a chance like this up."

"Hmm. Sure, Ran-chan. If you say so." He pulled up his sleeve, checking his watch. "Oh and by the way… you're ten minutes late." Ran's eyes widened and a strangled sound came from her throat.

"Oh _man…!"_ In a puff of pink smoke, she disappeared.

Kaito chuckled, pushing off the wall, turning and sauntering in the opposite direction of the growing commotion. Now that he'd checked up on his favorite pupil, a good book and a warm cup of coffee sounded nice. _'Good luck, my otome-chan.'_

--

Shinichi glanced down at his watch, irritated to find that another five minutes had gone by. '_She's late_.'He was beginning to wonder if this was becoming a new trend.

"Nii-chan!" Conan stood on the balls of his feet, trying to see over the adults scattered around him. "I can't see _anything_! Where's the thief-lady? Shouldn't she be here by now?!"

Shinichi sighed, bending down and hoisting Conan up on his shoulders. The grade school boy shouted in glee. He'd been complaining since they got there. It was twenty minutes past the appointed time, but Psiren had yet to arrive. Shinichi felt like complaining himself.

As per usual, the Detective of the East had carefully analyzed and decoded the phantom's letter, so he was confident that he was at the right place and time, but he hadn't seen any sign of Psiren. And none of the police helicopters or dispatched units had seen anything, either. Up on the rooftop of an office skyscraper with no company but his troublesome little brother, the Osakan police commissioner, and a couple unknown local detectives was surprisingly lonely. He just wanted to get to work already, _damnit._

Shinichi glanced up as a shadow moved in front of him. "…You're Shinichi Kudo, right?" A boy around his age with green eyes offered Shinichi his hand. He looked familiar, but he couldn't really figure out why. "I've heard a lot about you, but we've never actually met." The two grasped hands in a firm handshake. "The name's Heiji. Heiji Hattori."

"Ah." Conan started squirming, so Shinichi sat him down. "You're the police commissioner's son." His eyes flickered down to Heiji's legs; one of which he seemed to be favoring over the other. "What happened to your leg-?"

"Motorcycle accident," Heiji supplied.

Shinichi raised an eyebrow. "But your shin-"

"_Accident_."

"…Right." And Shinichi dropped the subject.

/--/

Another five minutes passed without interruption, and the police force was beginning to get uneasy. What if something had happened? What if they hadn't interpreted the Psiren's message correctly, after all?

Shinichi was running the clues over in his head when his cell phone rang. Startled, he picked it up on the second ring and brought it to his ear. "…Hello?"

"_**Well, hello, tantei-san."**_

Shinichi smirked. "Psiren. You've been keeping us waiting for quite a while now."

"Ah," the sultry feminine voice responded, not the least bit apologetic. _**"Well you know how much I love to draw things out… the waiting makes it worth it, don't you agree? …Do me a favor, Shin-chan, and put your phone on speaker. I want to make sure**_** everyone**_** can hear."**_

Shinichi craned his neck to see the group of officers standing nearby. "Hattori-san!" Both of the Hattori men turned in response. "It's the Psiren." With a press of a button, the woman's soft, sensuous laughter filled the rooftop.

"_**Hello, Hattori-san! Hattori-kun. Nice weather, isn't it?"**_

Heizo Hattori's eyes narrowed. "Where are you?"

"_**Just look up. You should be receiving a call from your subordinates soon… I suppose they should've figured it out by now."**_

As one, the men looked up, and simultaneously spotted a stain of white on the dark blue sky. She was sitting on a billboard – of all things – her feet dangling. She didn't seem the least bit worried over the fact that she was precariously perched on a flimsy piece of construction over fifty stories up. The thief smiled at them and waved, one hand occupied by a small transceiver of some sort pressed against her ear. Almost on cue, a loud blast of static resounded from the commissioner's handheld radio. "Hattori, sir! The gems are gone! She took the whole display!"

In the distance, Psiren stood up. A loud, triumphant laugh sounded over the receiver. _**"I'll be leaving with my score, now."**_ She held a bluish-tinted jewel up to the light of the crescent moon, studying it closely. _**"Hmm. What a pretty one you are! …Anyway, ta ta, tantei. I won't be disappearing completely, of course. I still have to prepare a bit of a show for my fans. Wouldn't want to disappoint, after all."**_

"_**But I'm going to give the lot of you another chance. For all those who think they're capable, I challenge you to capture me this day. I will be waiting at 'the dip of the moon… the place where earth and the heavens meet." **_She snickered. _**"I'll be looking forward to it."**_ And with that, a dark brume; Shinichi knew she had faded away long before the smoke had cleared.

Conan, who had been mostly quiet during the short exchange, squealed in delight. "Oooh, Nii-chan, that was _so_ cool! How are we gonna get 'er, now?"

Shinichi grinned. "Come on, Conan – we've got a world famous phantom to catch."

"Yay!"

--

Ran sat on the bench, breathing in the sweet perfume of the flowers around her. Still in her full thief attire, she waited silently for the one person she knew would figure it out.

"Psiren."

Ran glanced over her shoulder at him. "So I was right about you, after all." She jumped to her feet, brushing imaginary lint from her costume. "I knew you would be the one person who could figure out my cryptic riddle." She looked around at that beautiful garden that occupied a section of the roof of Phoenix Tower. "Your record, after all, has been unmatched since your first case on that transcontinental flight you took with your Mouri friend a couple years back."

"How would you know about that?"

"You're not the only one who's done a little research, tantei. And from the look on your face, I can tell you have a lot of theories about me… go ahead, I'm listening."

Shinichi shoved his hands in his pockets and grinned to himself. "I've figured it out. I have to admit, you're good at deceiving most, Psiren, but not me. I figured out the truth about who you are."

Ran sucked in a mouthful of air. "And that would be…?"

Shinichi kicked at an empty flower pot. "The Psiren that appeared eighteen years ago… in France, and the Psiren that popped up in Tokyo last year…" He met her gaze. "They're not the same. You're not the same, "Psiren".

Ran laughed in relief. "Really? And what gave you _that_ idea?"

"The timeline… it doesn't add up. There's no way you could've pulled off that stunt in Paris with the Mona Lisa… or any of the other heists from Psiren's early days, for that matter. I found a clue… there was a similar case in Tours at the same time… Most people don't know it, but… the original Psiren was really two people, not one. It's the only explanation."

The mysterious women frowned, her head cocked slightly. Silence consumed her as she digested his words; the truth, and yet, not. "You live up to your reputation, tantei-san," she said smoothly. "Yes, you are correct in your assumptions. I'm _not_ the Psiren who appeared in France eighteen years ago." Shinichi's eyes widened in surprise. Psiren chuckled lowly at his expression. "Don't seem so shocked. Do you think I could possibly still be running around like this eighteen years later? Come on, tantei-san, I'd have to be at least forty." Shinichi's eye twitched.

"But, then why? What's the point of all this? What do you fight for?"

Ran shrugged, finally noticing Conan hiding behind his brother's legs. "In response to that, I'll ask you the same: what do _you_ fight for?"

Shinichi followed the Psiren's stare down to the first grade boy clutching at his jeans. Conan poked his head out and stuck his tongue out at the phantom thief before ducking back in. "What are you getting at?" Shinichi asked.

"Don't try to read so far into it… I merely mean that you fight for the people you care about. You fight for your perception of justice. Well, maybe you'll discover that the two of us aren't so different in that aspect."

Narrowing his eyes, he replied. "I'm not some thief."

Ran laughed bitterly. "You'd think so, wouldn't you? But tantei-san, don't you see?" She approached him slowly, her face blank except for her trademark smirk; there was no emotion behind those eyes, but within, her heart felt cold and broken. Reaching over, Psiren grabbed Shinichi's hand; warm and clammy from the run up here. He stiffened, but couldn't bring himself to move.

Psiren cupped his soft, boyish face with her other hand, caressing his cheek with one well manicured fingertip. "You're such a cutie." She leaned it next to him and breathed in his ear. "Don't you see, _Shin-chan_? You _are_ a thief – you've already stolen my heart."

Conan growled protectively and pushed at Ran's leg. "Get away from my nii-chan!" Woken from his state of enchantment, Shinichi drew back, a look of accusation on his face.

Ran smiled indecipherably. She turned, walking languidly to the edge of the building, but she didn't stop. The scantily clad woman plunged for several seconds before she initiated her glider. "Adieu!" She called out cheerfully. Shinichi watched in irritation as she sliced through the air with practiced precision and grace.

'_Damn… what's wrong with me?'_ That exchange had felt awfully… intimate, for some reason. And Shinichi couldn't figure out why.

A slip of paper drifted in the gentle breeze, until it landed at Shinichi's feet. Conan grabbed it and read it aloud. _**"I think there's a glitch in the building's electrical systems… lights are working fine, but I guess the elevators didn't receive the same courtesy... Too bad you don't have a fancy glider, eh, tantei?" **_A caricature of Psiren laughed manically at them.

Shinichi sighed, staring off at the city, but seeing nothing.

/--/

"There she is," Rum whispered, almost purring as she watched Psiren land blocks away from the tower. "Psiren… Margarita… _traitor_…"

"And there's the Kudo kid," Tequila mumbled from behind her, looking through the scope of his long ranged rifle. "So close to each other, too. Damn, this is almost too easy." His finger readied on the trigger. "Almost…"

Rum adjusted her binoculars to get a better view. "Wait…" she hissed, taken aback. "There's someone else there… a small boy…"

"Who cares?!

"Tequila, no! We aren't supposed to cause a scene! We have to make this as inconspicuous as possible!"

"There's no cops around… and I want blood."

"God-damnit, Tequila!!" Rum rammed her shoulder into him, setting the gun off prematurely. An ear splitting roar filled the air.

Rum's expression grew mortified. "SHIT!"

And without the least bit of concern for her partner's safety, she ran.

/--/

Ran knew something was wrong the moment a sharp sensation – almost like an electric shock - passed through her spine. Her sense of intuition had never been wrong before, and never before had she felt something so strong. Dashing across rooftops and climbing ladders and poles, she felt as if maybe leaving Shinichi abandoned on top of a skyscraper was taking it a little too far. However, remembering the smug look on his face as he stripped away a bit of her carefully constructed ruse, Ran figured it was best. At least he wouldn't get in the way anymore.

Then she heard a gun go off, and her chest constricted painfully. _'No… it can't be…'_ She turned on her heel and headed back in the direction she came, her breath coming out in harsh pants as she feared the worse. Ran gazed toward Phoenix Tower, then back at the gallery, but she could not discern where the shots had come from or from who. Hands trembling, Ran massaged her temples. Goosebumps prickled at her skin even as her hair and clothes stuck to her with sweat. _'It can't… really be them, can it? Sonoko, Dad, Shinichi… _please _be okay.'_

"Hello, there, sweets. Remember me?"

Ran rotated around. It took every ounce of her training not to flinch at the sight before her.

A woman – full, curvaceous figure, silky black hair, porcelain skin that seemed to glow in the lamplight. She would've been the embodiment of perfection, if not for the grotesque old wound that marred her face. Rum's mangled lips twisted into a cruel smile. "I've been waiting to see you again, Margarita."

"Margarita-?" Ran didn't even see it coming. A razor sharp knife dug into her side, and she bite down on her lip to stop from screaming. Rum forced the weapon in up to the hilt and twisted, emitting a raw scream from Ran. With a harsh kick from her assailant, she crumbled hard to the ground, a wave of nausea and torturous pain devouring her.

"Pity," Rum grunted. "After all this time I was expecting more of a fight. Get. Up. _Psiren._"

Ran clenched her teeth and groaned. The knife was still deeply plunged in her body. It was incredibly difficult to breathe, leading her to believe that a lung had been punctured. Blood splattered the ground in front of her, and tears formed in her eyes. _'Mom… please… don't let me die here…'_ She vomited blood, but somehow managed to rise to her feet, unstable as she was. "Nice shot," she said casually, grinning through her pain. "I see you haven't changed any over the years." Pressing a hand against her injured side, Ran slipped a flash bomb out from her pack.

Rum growled. "Your goddamned juvenile tricks won't work with _me_, Margarita!"

Without a moment's hesitation, Ran yanked the knife out just as the small bomb dropped and exploded. Rum's arms came up to shield her eyes, and taking the opportunity, Ran used all her leftover strength and employed a roundhouse kick into the assassin's chin. Her vision blurred dangerously as another pint of precious blood escaped her.

And the only thing she could hear was the succession of gunshots.

/--/

His head whipped around, his brother's name forming on his lips, but it was too late. There was a sound of thunder, reverberating through what seemed like the entire city of Osaka. The crowds, the noise, the commotion… it all faded to a dull roar until it disappeared all together. Or at least, it did to Shinichi.

The way people described it, life was supposed to go in slow motion when something horrendous happened, so you could take in every frightening, terrible detail. That, Shinichi learned now, was a lie. It all happened so fast, almost within the blink of an eye – one moment, Conan had been standing beside him, wide eyed and excited, and the next; he was laying there, blood soaking his Masked Yaiba T-shirt, eyes closed and gasping desperately for air. And then, the screaming started.

"_**CONAN!!"**_

He screamed his name until his throat was hoarse, and then he ran; ran faster than he ever could or would have before. Around him, all hell broke loose. But he didn't care – the only thing that mattered now was his brother, his precious little brother who was lying on the cold ground bleeding and gasping and _oh my god he's dying_… Shinichi quickly reached his side, but another loud explosion pierced the air, and a pain like nothing he'd ever felt shot up his leg. He screamed again, dropping to his knees and curling into a ball as he clawed desperately at his injured leg, the bullet ripping through countless layers of muscle and shattering bone. A rapidly widening bloodstain appeared on his jeans. And yet he still remembered Conan, and with what little strength he could muster Shinichi crawled the small space between them with nothing on his mind except saving the only person who mattered to him in the whole world. Distant shouts and screams saturated the air, with people dashing for their lives, but it didn't matter. Even as more shots were fired, closing in on them from all sides, the teenaged detective couldn't bring himself to care anymore. Because his brother was opening his eyes now, and the strangled sound of his own name was falling from his lips.

"Shi…ni…chi," His skin was too pale, Shinichi noted, as he pulled Conan into his lap and pressed frantically at the bullet wound to stop the bleeding. Conan was shivering, and periodically his eyes would flutter, but Shinichi had hope. _He had to._ If he gave up… _no_. That wasn't an option.

"Nii-chan, it's cold," whispered Conan. "Why is it so cold? What happened… what happened to the warm? It was so warm before, nii-chan…"

"Conan, don't talk." Shinichi felt his eyes grow wet, and his chest tight. "Don't talk… and don't worry… you'll be okay, kiddo… I promise I'll take care of you…"

Conan wasn't listening. His gaze was pointed off somewhere beyond Shinichi's shoulder, and he was crying. "Where's Mommy? I want mommy…" He sobbed. "It hurts, nii-chan! M-mommy… mom always makes it feel better. She kisses the boo-boo and it goes away…"

Shinichi broke down. "Conan," he clutched his small body to him, giant, gasping sobs racking his body. "Conan! Please… stay with me… I'll get help, I promise… You'll be okay… you'll see mom again." He hugged him tighter still, and the wetness of crimson penetrated his thin cotton shirt. Shinichi cried harder. The bleeding wasn't stopping. The rooftop was dark and foreboding; empty…help wouldn't be able to arrive in time. The elevators weren't working… the electricity was still out…

"What about neechan?" Conan murmured. "I didn't see her… she was 'sposed to be here! Why isn't she here?" Shoulders shaking, he gasped, "Where is she? Nee-chan? Mommy? Daddy?! I wanna go home! _I WANNA GO HOME, NII-CHAN_!"

Shinichi sat, silently sobbing, cradling Conan in his arms. "It's okay, I-I'm here, Conan. Maybe no one else… but I… I'm here. It's okay." He ruffled Conan's hair halfheartedly, attempting to seem normal, at least for him. He didn't have to know. He didn't have to know how hopeless it all was now. Conan's eyes drifted closed, smiling. A helicopter's propeller roared somewhere above, and a spotlight shone down on them. Conan opened his eyes, awoken by the light in the darkness. Suddenly, he laughed weakly.

"There she is!" He said quietly, looking off behind Shinichi again. "Ran-neechan…" He coughed. "You really shouldn't be so mean to her, Shinichi-niichan."

"…What?"

"Ran-neechan," Conan reiterated. "You shouldn't… be… so mean to her, nii-chan. She looks…she looks… just like an angel… when she flies." He smiled slightly at whatever it was that had caught his attention, and then his eyes shut again, closing him off from the world forever.

"…Conan?" Shinichi shook him gently, but no response. Squeezing his eyes shut, he threw his head back and sobbed. "_Conan_!! Conan… oh, Conan, I'm _so_ sorry…" The helicopter that had previously been hovering above now landed, and three paramedics jumped out. _'It's too late,' _Shinichi thought. He was alive, and Conan was dead. Nothing mattered. Not anymore.

Oddly, though, he wondered about what Conan had been staring at. Looking over his shoulder, Shinichi got his answer.

On a distant, high rooftop, a phantom cloaked in white stood rigidly, staring right at him. In the fluorescent light created by the helicopter, Shinichi made out wide, disbelieving eyes and blood-stained clothes, her disheveled hair whipping around her from the wind.

His eyes narrowed dangerously. '_Psiren.' _The sorrow left him momentarily; it transformed into a bitter, hateful rage the likes of which Shinichi had never felt before. "_PSIREN_!" He roared. "I won't forgive you for this!! I'll never-" He squeezed his eyes, more tears spilling from his eyes. Drops of blood and water mixed to form a sick, pink solution against his skin. A paramedic approached cautiously, but Shinichi could not see. "I'll never… forgive you for this," his head lolled forward in exhaustion, his face burying into the soft, cool strands of his brother's hair.

'_Conan…'_

The paramedics gently pulled the two brothers apart, laying them on two separate stretchers. They checked Conan's vitals - a thankless task – and loaded both into the helicopter. The last thing Shinichi thought of before the aircraft lifted off was the thief who got away, but when he glanced out the window to her spot on the roof, she was gone; a long forgotten whisper on the warm March wind.

- - - - -

- - - - -

- - - - -

**A/N: **Aw. I really hope you all don't hate me for this…

I'm happy to announce that this story has passed the 1000 hit mark! Yay! Thank you for everyone who has supported this project of mine in the past, and I hope that you will continue to do so in the future. This chapter was particularly difficult to write… the longest yet, and the most emotional. –shudders- … 'Otome' means daughter, by the way, but Ran isn't Kaito's illegitimate child or anything! Definitely not. Just think what would happen if Aoko found out!

Next time, on **'Don't Play by the Rules'**: She's a criminal now… an outcast. What do you do when the people you love are the ones you end up hurting the most, and they don't even know it? How do you set things straight when everything inside you is telling you to just _lock it all away_? Do you accept the life Fate has dealt you, or do you at least try to work it in your favor? Do you play by the rules? Or… do you make your own?


	8. The Aftermath

**Disclaimer**: Detective Conan and all related trademarks are the property of Gosho Aoyoma, and whatever company it is that distributes the anime and manga. Hopefully, Aoyama won't decide to end his story the way I seem to be doing.

Warnings: Excessive angst. Yeah, I hate it too, but it can't be avoided.

Text in _italics_ denotes a flashback.

--

**Don't Play by the Rules**

Chapter Seven: The Aftermath

It happened almost immediately.

The news of Conan Kudo's tragic death by gunfire spread like wildfire through Japan, seeping up into casual conversation and poisoning the good spirits that usually accompanied the conclusion of Psiren's heists. It was all the news channels covered for days, though not once was the name of the cause of all this commotion mentioned. It was too horrible a shock: to think that Psiren, the beautiful, mirthful living legend – who had never so much as injured anyone during her heists before – was responsible for the death of an innocent boy and the fatal wounding of Shinichi Kudo, Detective of the East… the public denied it at first, continuing to support the thief despite the bad vibes that rose like smoke around her. She was a target too, after all… why else would her glider have been shot down a month ago? The verdict seemed entirely plausible at first, but mass tragedies such as these have a way of twisting truth into lies and disregarding any semblance of reason. Regardless of the _whys_, the end result was that a seven year old boy was dead. On top of that, he was a _Kudo_ – younger brother to Detective of the East Shinichi and son to Yusaku and Yukiko, both world-renowned in their own chosen fields.

It didn't take long for the news to spread. It didn't take long for the citizens of Japan to sympathize with the family's pain, and it didn't take long for people to begin looking for someone to put the blame on, and all fingers pointed to the Psiren. By the time three days had gone by, both the Tokyo and Osaka Metropolitan police forces, as well as three other smaller law enforcement committees had launched a full out campaign against the marauder. Unless it could be proven otherwise, she would be charged with murder in the second degree. The fan clubs and organizations across the country disbanded with a quickness, and the T-shirts, buttons, and mugs that displayed the Psiren's likeness were quietly tucked away in boxes in the dusty storehouses of the factories and stores, never to see the light of day again. Psiren's light hearted thievery could be applauded, but no one could justify commending a woman whose hands were now stained with blood. Within a week afterwards, the former president of The Official Psiren Fan Club openly announced the formation of the Anti-Thief Committee; and that their membership had reached a little over 20,000 overnight.

In the right circumstances, hate is a contagion. People who loved you can turn their backs on you in an instant, the flames of their hatred fanned by the gossip, the pain, and the masses. Sometimes the whys and hows are not instantly understood, and sometimes that hatred doesn't seem the least bit justified, but the end result is the same. Hate infects and spreads.

…Unfortunately, guilt spreads three times faster.

--

"_Ran… Ran!" Kaito's voice surrounded her on all sides; a soothing balm over all the insanity. "Hold on, Ran-chan. It's okay, I'm here..."_

"_It's nothing," she told him. "It's just a flesh wound." Her voice sounded shaky and faint, strained from the energy it took to sob profusely as she was."Kaito-sensei, I have to get to the hospital! Otou-san and Sonoko…they'll be worried… and I need to see Shinichi and… oh god, Conan-kun…"_

"_They'll have a lot more to worry about if you bleed to death. Aoko, I need more gauze!"_

_Was this her fate, Ran wondered, to die in the back of Kaito's SUV while they tried to stitch up her wound? Was this her punishment for the path she had chosen, that she couldn't even be sent to a hospital to receive proper treatment for fear she would be caught? If she were to die now, wouldn't it be deserved? If it wasn't for her, Conan would be alive. _A life for a life_, Ran thought, squeezing her eyes shut as a needle began piecing the ripped shreds of her skin back together. _It's only fair.

"_Damnit, Ran!"Kaito snapped, almost as if he had heard what she'd been thinking. "Don't you DARE give up on me!" _

_Her eyes ached; she had no more tears to cry. What if she were to give up now? Would it help her atone for her part in Conan's death? If she consciously abandoned her will to live, would it somehow assuage the despair of Conan's passing, who hadn't even had a choice in the matter?'No,' Ran told herself. 'It wouldn't.'_

'_I'll atone more for just living through this Hell.'_

'_Oh Conan-kun… I'm so sorry, Conan… it's all my fault…'_

/--/

Ran winced, pressing her hand against the wound on her abdomen through the cotton of her shirt. The Ibuprofen Aoko had given her helped, but there was only so much an analgesic could do for a stab wound; especially if the person who had gotten stabbed had to pretend nothing was wrong. The world seemed blurred around the edges due to the massive dosage she had been given, and noise came to her as a distant buzz. As she sat in the uncomfortable plastic chair of the ICU waiting room, Ran's back ached, and the empathy of the passing nurses did little but make her feel worse.

"Ran-chan," tears streaming down her face, Sonoko grasped Ran's wrist firmly from the chair beside her, unintentionally digging her fingernails into the soft flesh of her friend's arm, though Ran hardly noticed. She didn't mind the pain. She preferred it. It was the only thing that told her she was still alive. _'Conan-kun… what really happened tonight?'_ She didn't know. Standing on that adjacent rooftop, her eyes guided by the bright lights of a helicopter, Ran could only remember the blood… and how her heart had shattered at the sight of it.

Her father was slouched against the wall beside them, no more than a couple inches between them. Often he would reach over, brushing his hand against her head or shoulder as he whispered empty condolences. But Ran could hear the hitch in his voice… the way his hand shook as he touched hers. She saw the look in his eyes, the thoughts thinly veiled under the surface: _'It could've been me. It could've been Ran. Oh thank god it wasn't-'_

A nurse appeared, her short brown hair tied up into a bun and her green eyes sympathetic. "Ran Mouri?"

The teenager stood, albeit slowly, due to the pain of her wound. "Shinichi Kudo is out of intensive care. Technically I'm not supposed to let anyone visit except relatives, but…" The unfinished sentence hung ominously in the air, the implications behind it suffocating her: _His parents are overseas and his little brother was slaughtered tonight. Shinichi no longer has relatives in Japan._ The nurse must've detected the dark turn of Ran's thoughts, because then she continued, "You can go in and see him now. Although I must warn you that he is still under heavy medication and probably won't wake up for a few more hours yet." Ran nodded slightly, and with a heavy heart followed the short young woman to see her best friend.

/--/

It wasn't him, Ran mused. The Shinichi Kudo she knew and loved was strong and healthy; nothing like the painfully pale invalid that lay in the bed in front of her. Even though the room was dark, lit only by the glittering orange-hued lights of the city outside, Ran could see that Shinichi's hair was a disheveled mess, and his face and arms were still speckled with his brother's blood. Tubes and the machines attached to them surrounded his bedside; the mechanical beeps the only sound in the room. His IV dripped continuously, and the beeps representing his heart beating was the only thing that assured Ran he was still alive. He's lost a lot of blood, Ran reminded herself – that would account for his death-like pallor. Shinichi's right leg was wrapped in a cast and elevated slightly. As Ran stared at the extent of the damage done to his limb, it took all her strength not to break down and curl into a ball, mourning forever for what she had lost… what Shinichi had lost… and what the both of them would continue to lose.

"He'll be fine," the nurse soothed, rubbing the tension out of Ran's shoulders. "He'll have to stay in a cast for a couple months, but he'll regain full use of his leg soon enough. The surgery was a complete success, Mouri-san." The woman nodded slowly, as if she was trying to convince herself as well. "Yes… Kudo-san will recover fully." She glanced wearily over at the young woman beside her, who was still staring blankly at the figure in the bed. Ran's hands gripped the bed railings fiercely, tears falling sporadically from her eyes. "Mouri-san…"

"But Conan…" Ran whispered, her body shaking from the intensity of her sobs. "Conan won't recover, will he?" The nurse embraced her awkwardly, her comforting words falling on deaf ears. "Conan…_Conan_!!"

Just then, the door to the hospital room opened, revealing her father. "Ran," Kogoro murmured regretfully, reaching out to her. And Ran came, burrowing into the warmth of her father's shoulder as she cried. He smelled faintly of alcohol and cigarettes, but it didn't repulse her as it usually would have. The acrid smell was something Ran could count on; the one consistency in a rapidly changing world. "It's okay, Ran," Kogoro told her, his voice booming right near her ear. "I'm here, Ran, I'm here…" His large palms pressed into her back, keeping her close. Ran felt what it was like to be seven years old again; when all she had to worry about was whether or not it would rain on their picnic, and Daddy could protect her from everything.

_Everything_… but not from this.

Ran squeezed her eyes shut, whimpering. "_Daddy…_"

--

_Rum loved her knife. It was like an extension of her hand… she never went anywhere without it._

"_You're goddamned juvenile tricks won't work with _me_, Margarita!!"_

_The sight of her enemy after all these years had enraged her; the hate within her made her movements twitchy and anxious, though it seemed not to be much of a disadvantage at all. Rather, Psiren was going down fast. Rum chuckled inwardly as Psiren dropped a flash bomb, but groaned in pain as the resulting moment of blindness gave the thief the chance to kick her in the chin. She stumbled backwards and collided with the wall of a storehouse behind her. Her face hurt like hell now, but all in all, Margarita had it _much _worse. _

"_I guess," Rum said, grinning, as Ran coughed up more of her body's fluids, "you haven't been using these past eight years to train."_

_Ran's eyes narrowed, her hand pressed firmly against her gash. "You don't know anything."_

_Rum laughed triumphantly. "Don't I?"Her grin turned maniacal as she watched her enemy finally crumble to the ground from the pain, gasping for oxygen. "I know a lot more than you give me credit for, _Eri-chan_."_ _Ran's head whipped up at that comment, but the quick motion only made her pain that much more unbearable. Rum took small, confident steps forward, pulling a spare knife from a holster on her thigh. "I know that although that stab wasn't enough to kill you, it most definitely hurts like hell, doesn't it? You feel like you're burning from the inside out, don't you? …That's because the blade was laced with poison; the latest product of our… 'Organization'."Rum chuckled dangerously, twirling the blade between her skilled fingers. Watching as Ran tried to stand up – but failed – Rum continued. "Don't worry, it won't kill you… I want to torture you for a good long time before we get to that… but I'm sure it's not making your injury any better, is it?"_

"_You…" Ran rasped. "Monster…" She glanced up at the wall. _'Almost there…'

"_But I'm like this because of you, remember? This is _your_ fault. _You_ took my beauty from me!!" Rum growled as she charged. "Now I'm going to take something just as precious from you!"_

_Ran laughed weakly. "Not so fast!" She raised her hands, showing the faint silver of piano strings wound around her fingers._

"_Wha-" _

_Ran yanked on the strings. The grating sound of metal hitting brick sounded in the darkness. _

"_ARGH!"An ear-splitting scream tore from her throat, and Rum crumbled to the asphalt, gasping. From the light of the moon, the hilt of a knife gleamed; protruding from her back._

"_How!?" Rum roared, glaring mildly at her opponent. _

_Ran wobbled to her feet, dizzy yet triumphant. "You were… you were too preoccupied with your anger…you weren't as focused as you should've been, and it cost you." She leaned against the railings, closing her eyes from the effort of moving. "I added my own special solution to your poison-tipped dagger… you won't… be able to move for at least a few hours." Ran chuckled humorlessly. "Don't worry, though… it won't kill you… where's the fun in that?" Ran snapped her fingers, and disappeared in a cloud of blue smoke. _

"_Why, you…" Rum tried to move her hand to pull the blade out, but true to the Psiren's words, her limbs were useless to her. "You… you bitch! COME BACK HERE, MARGARITA!!"_

_/--/_

"Damn her," Rum mumbled, slamming her fist into the wall. She still didn't have full use of her body, and time was running out. The city was in an uproar… if she didn't get out of here soon, she'd be caught up in the scandal. The cops were going mad with confusion – Heizo Hattori had taken to ordering his troops to arrest just about any suspicious character they saw on the streets, in hopes that they could link one to the murder. With her stilted steps and the large blood stain on her shirt, Rum figured she was pretty high up on the 'suspicious character' list.

"Shit," she growled, coming to a halt. A wave of officers passed at the intersection ahead, but their range of vision was limited to the beam of their flashlights, and she was just out of view. "At this rate I'll never get outta here." She flexed her fingers, testing her reaction time. Her fingers moved deliberately, but the poison was definitely beginning to rub off. Rum pressed herself against the wall, inching slowly forward through the alley. "Here, kitty, kitty…" She purred, licking her lips as she crept up behind a uniformed man who had his back turned. His neck broke easily under her experienced hands, and she had undressed, discarded, and replaced the man before anyone else was the wiser.

"Ugh, I smell like dirty men." Rum pulled the hat down over her eyes and slunk through the crowds virtually unnoticed. _'I'm going to make you pay double for this disgrace, Eri 'Margarita' Kisaki. You can bet your life on it.'_

--

Since that horrible night, a week had passed. To Ran, though, it felt like an eternity.

She couldn't turn on the television anymore… just the mention of the name Kudo was enough to have her bursting into tears, and the Kudo family was all the world seemed able to talk about. Even though she hadn't donned her costume since, she felt the world's contempt for her whenever she left the house. Even Sonoko, who had once been a self-proclaimed 'Phantom Thief fan until she died', listened to the accusations fired at her idol without the slightest bit of protest. Shinichi had been discharged from the hospital a couple of days ago, but Ran hadn't been by to see him. She couldn't. Her guilt suffocated her too much. But now she was going to change all that.

"…That probably isn't such a good idea, ya know."

Ran looked up to see Kaito, in his traditional stoic manner, slumped against her computer desk and betraying not the slightest bit of emotion. Her window was closed, and so was her door, yet here he was, as if he had been here all along. _'How did he do that?'_ Ran turned away from his stone cold stare, concentrating much harder than necessary on fastening her belt around her waist. "I know," she whispered, knowing he could hear her. "But I have to. This is my fault, and I have to fix it." Due to the last heist, Ran's costume had been damaged beyond repair (she wasn't even going to try to wash all the blood out), but luckily Kaito had made her extra sets. The halter top she had chosen today fit a lot looser on her frame, and the design was slightly different, but it was good enough. Ran had burned the original – too many bad memories - she could still remember the burnt charcoal smell it had created when she had set it ablaze…

"What if you do more harm than good?"

Ran shrugged helplessly, tying the strings of her mask behind her head. "I have to try." She squeezed her eyes shut as her eyes grew misty, hands shaking. "Kaito-sensei… you don't know how it feels… to know that y-you _killed_ someone you love…"

"You don't know much of anything, Ran," he replied smoothly. "I know exactly how that feels." His eyes bore into hers. "And it doesn't matter what you do... it won't bring Conan back, will it?"

"No…"

"It won't…" Kaito sighed miserably, massaging his temples as he often did when he was upset. "It won't bring Eri back, either."

Ran's head snapped up in surprise. "What…?" Kaito's expression had turned tender; it hurt for Ran to see it. She didn't deserve his affection or pity. "Ran-chan, look, I admire you, I do… you've got a lot of guts, doing what you're doing, but the fact still remains that you're playing with fire." He walked over to her, ruffling her hair as he smiled sadly. "And you've already gotten burned."

"I know," she whispered, sorrowful. "Shinichi and Conan got hurt because of me."

Kaito shook his head. "I'm afraid it's more serious than that, Ran-chan." He held out his palm, showing her a medium sized blue jewel. The one from the heist. _'How did he…?'_

With no regards towards Ran's shocked expression, the magician strode back over to the desk. He placed the jewel under the lamplight, and it glowed bright blue, projecting shafts of shimmering light across the carpeted floor. "Notice anything odd about this one, Ran-chan?"

Ran's heart sunk. She noticed the overly bright way the jewel shined… She lowered her head. "It's a fake…"

"'Fraid so. The Black Organization came up with a whole bogus exhibit just to lure you out…"

Ran clutched her chest, tears blurring her vision. "They were just toying with me…"

'_So Conan really did die for nothing…'_

"But you know Ran-chan; I think the conspiracy goes even deeper than that." He approached her as if one would a cornered animal – cautious, deliberate – and tilted her chin up so he could look into her eyes. Deep blue, he thought, and so much like her mother's. "Ran, although it's obvious you were the main target, I severely doubt you were the only one. When those first shots were fired, you were nowhere near the Phoenix Tower. Why would an assassin blow his cover like that, if his target was nowhere in sight? I've been up there myself, with Aoko, and he wasted quite a few bullets if he was only trying to bait you." He tapped Ran's hip affectionately, right underneath her stab wound. "And then you were attacked at the _same time_ by another Black Organization member." Ran's stiffened, finally beginning to understand. "See the problem here? Expert assassins do not make amateur moves like that. Expert assassins do not waste bullets." Kaito bent down until he was at eye level with his charge. "Expert assassins… don't take unnecessary risks." He straightened. "If Shinichi-kun was shot at, it was because of something he did, not you." Kaito's voice grew remorseful. "Unfortunately, Conan-kun was an unexpected obstacle with their goal to kill Shinichi. I don't believe his murder was intentional, but permanent all the same."

"You keep saying that it's your fault Conan is dead… really, Ran, it's just as much Shinichi's fault as it is yours."

"But…why?" Ran whispered. "What could Shin- I mean…"

"I have really no clue, Ran-chan. None whatsoever." Ran fell back onto her mattress, dazed. "But," Kaito sat down beside her, allowing her to rest her head against his shoulder. "You intend to tell him everything, don't you? That's why you're going over there now, in full phantom thief attire." She nodded, and the lost, lonely expression on her face didn't match at all with Psiren's trademark disposition. "Not _everything_, I hope – can't even imagine what he'd do if he found out your identity, poor kid – but you're going to tell him your side of the story, and hope he understands and forgives you for-" He implied quotation marks with his fingers. "'that which can never be forgiven'. Is that right?" Again, Ran nodded. Kaito sighed, worrying his temples once more. "And there's nothing I can do to change your mind, is there? Not even a tiny bit?" Another nod from Ran. "You know that this is a _really _bad idea, right?"

"My ideas always are, Kaito-sensei."

"Yes, that's true. But remember just one piece of advice from me."

Ran frowned. "Poker Face?"

"No, no… well, yes, you should remember that too, but that's not what I was going to say." Kaito turned to face her, grinning arrogantly. "Equivalent Exchange."

"…What?"

"If you're going to reveal it all, then shouldn't he do the same?"

--

It was nighttime. Well, at least Shinichi thought it was nighttime. The curtains to all the windows were drawn, and he was too tired to turn his head and read the glowing red numbers on his alarm clock.

He was too tired to do much of anything, really; too tired, and too sad. Where was Conan now, he wondered. Did such a thing as an Afterlife really exist? Would Conan be in heaven if it did? _'Of course he would,'_ he scolded himself softly. The boy cried every time Shinichi did so much as kill a bug. He even held a funeral service for an ant he had stepped on accidentally, once. You couldn't get any more virtuous than that, in Shinichi's opinion. But other than worry over the state of Conan's soul, there was one thing that constantly haunted him – the memory of the cold, lifeless body he'd held in his arms, as gunshots rang around him and his shirt became soaked in blood. He thought of were Conan's body would be now - probably sitting in a freezer somewhere waiting for the funeral. Tears sprang to Shinichi's eyes, but he didn't help nor hinder their movement. He simply lay there, staring at the ceiling. Waiting for the chance to see his brother's smiling face again.

Now he had to worry about how he was going to tell his parents. How could he tell his Mom and Dad that he'd let his little brother die, when they had trusted him enough to send a 7-year old boy across the ocean and into his care? Though, with the way news was spreading, he wouldn't be surprised if they already knew…

Shinichi started at the sound of clattering pots and pans downstairs. Professor Agasa had moved in of his own accord, vowing to help his young friend get over the emotional and physical damage the last heist had cost him. If not for Agasa forcing him to eat and take his medicine, Shinichi would've been dead by now. And despite all the heartache he felt, he couldn't allow that to happen. There was still a thief somewhere out there that needed to be caught.

Shinichi loved his job. Making sure criminals got what they deserved was something Shinichi prided himself on. But often he would realize how flawed detective work truly was. You could catch the murderer, but you couldn't undo the killing. Someone still ended up dead. Shinichi simply came in afterwards to piece the puzzle together. Nevertheless, it had to be done, and Shinichi was going to make sure the people responsible for his brother's death would come to justice, even if it ended up killing him.

Suddenly Shinichi envisioned that cocky smirk, the chocolate brown hair, and the bewitching blue eyes, and a deep hate and unrivaled pain coiled within his heart. "Damnit!" He shouted, reaching for the first thing he could get his hands on – a math textbook, of all things – and flung it at his window. Waiting for the satisfying shatter of glass, Shinichi was disappointed when several seconds went by without him hearing the barest hint of a collision.

"_**I didn't know you hated reading so much, Shinichi-kun."**_

Shinichi tensed as she spoke, turning his head to the right and seeing the thief perched on his dresser and flipping through his schoolbook. "What do you want?!" Shinichi growled, eyes narrowed in hatred though his pain clearly shone through. Despite her training, Ran flinched slightly. Never had she ever imagined that such a look could be directed at her… but it wasn't for Ran Mouri, though, was it? It was for Psiren - the infamous phantom thief that 'killed' Shinichi Kudo's younger brother. "Haven't you done enough already?"

Ran lay the book down on the dresser beside her, and sat cross-legged. She sighed. "I'm terribly sorry to intrude, tantei-san, but I promise to leave shortly. I only wanted to come here and tell you how sorry I am for your loss." A silence passed between them – shock from Shinichi, and a case of nerves for Ran. "…I wasn't responsible, you know."

Shinichi frowned. "Did you come all the way here just to clear your name?"

Ran lips twitched. "No. Actually, I'm here to warn you. They weren't aiming for your brother, they were aiming for _you_. And I, as well. Watch it, tantei-san, or they may actually succeed in killing you. And that would truly be a crime against humanity." Shinichi continued to look doubtful. "You saw me that night, didn't you?" Ran said quietly. "After… you know. I was covered in blood. You probably don't remember." She chuckled humorlessly. "Let me say this, tantei-san - that wasn't someone else's blood that I was wearing."

"So, what is this? A deal gone bad and now they've turned on you?"

Some unknown emotion flickered behind Ran's eyes, and she sighed. "I'd… rather not say now, but I do believe it's in your best interest to know, so…" She pulled out a business card and flicked it towards him. It landed on the foot of Shinichi's cast, and he looked at it with suspicion. "Meet me tomorrow, at the time and location printed on that card, and I'll tell you everything I can."

Shinichi picked it up between his index finger and his thumb, holding far away from his body as if it had a bad odor. "How do I know that you're not just planning to stab me and leave me for dead? After all that's happened… how do you expect me to trust you?"

Ran smiled then, sadly. "You don't, and I can't. But I'm afraid, tantei-san, you don't have much of a choice. You have questions, and I, more than likely, have your answers." She cocked her head. "…You hate me, don't you? You blame me for Conan's death."

Shinichi looked at her point blank. "Yes."

"So does the world, Shinichi. So does the world. But as I told you not that long ago, the two of us aren't that different in the end. I'm sorry to say it, but this tragedy has made us even closer in comparison." _'You have to catch the crooks that killed your brother, and I have to avenge okaa-san… we have the same goals, Shinichi. Please, _please… _I need you to see that.'_

"Shinichi!" Both of their heads turned. "Shinichi, dinner is ready." There was the hollow creak of footsteps coming up the stairs. "It's time for you to get out of that hole of yours and eat something!"

Just as Professor Agasa reached the threshold, Shinichi turned once more to his dresser. But of course, Psiren had vanished.

"Shinichi?" Agasa asked wearily. "Something wrong?"

Shinichi studied the card in his hand and the tiny, elegant script Psiren had used to write her instructions. "No, nothing's wrong," he mumbled, clenching his fist over the paper and crumbling it into a ball. "Nothing at all."

XXXXXXXX

**A/N: **Hiya folks. Guess what my New Year's Resolution was? Insanely, I want to get this story, which will probably span 15-20 chapters, finished or almost finished by this time next year.

Shinichi: -bursts out laughing-

-twitch, twitch- …Yeah, I know that's a crazy deadline, and trying to accomplish it may very well cut three years off of my life from the stress, but… how's that saying go? "Go big or don't go at all?" And then there are my Fushigi Yugi projects I have to get working on. Not to mention, you know, schoolwork. Plus I can't seem to get on this computer to type anything without losing my concentration and ending up surfing the Internet instead. Ah, procrastination, I curse you. Let's not even get into the burden of writer's block.

Next time, on **'Don't Play by the Rules'**: Despite his misgivings, Shinichi takes Psiren up on her offer to meet and talk. What can Ran tell him without blowing her cover? …Kogoro reveals that he's not as dumb as he looks when we get a glance into his psyche, Ran finally confronts Shinichi without her mask protecting her, and Heiji, pissed about his minimal appearances in this fanfic, travels to Tokyo and vows to take charge!! Whoo! Will he succeed in maintaining a significant role in the plot? Or, will he be simply tossed aside like two month old cheese? Only one way to find out!


	9. Red Thread of Fate

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Detective Conan.

Text in **bold** is dialogue in English. All other dialogues are in (implied) Japanese.

Warnings: None. Just REALLY long. …Is that good or bad?

--

**Don't Play by the Rules**

Chapter Eight: Red Thread of Fate

The aluminum can was cold against his palm, and when he crushed it, the last remnants of alcohol it had contained dribbled out onto his fingers. Kogoro Mouri tossed it over his shoulder, hearing a clanking sound as it landed on the floor. He wiped the liquid on his pants absentmindedly while his other hand, holding a pen, scribbled furiously on a pile of papers on his desk. Times like this made him glad he wasn't a cop – too much grunt work. At least working as a P.I. meant doing things by your own terms.

In the last few weeks, a great deal had taken place. A heist had left the son of a well-known family dead, and the thief involved was the prime suspect. Kogoro felt bad for Shinichi and Conan both – he really did – but he couldn't help but feel irritated that the recent events had only increased his workload. Inspector Megure was more desperate than ever to see to it that the Psiren was sent to justice, and that equated to more pressure on him to get this case solved. With Shinichi Kudo on a mandatory hiatus, the inspector was practically forced to enlist Mouri as his second-in-command. Though, in Kogoro's opinion he should've done that in the first place.

"Damn hot-headed kid," he mumbled, though his tone was somewhat affectionate and sympathetic. He personally didn't care for the teenager's arrogance or his habit of hanging all over his daughter, mind you, but he could acknowledge that Ran and he were close, not to mention that Kogoro himself was on a first name basis with Shinichi's parents. His heart went out to the Kudos. He couldn't even imagine what they must be going through.

Kogoro grimaced. Wait… he did. Eri Mouri had been dead for eight long years now, but still whenever he thought of her there was a dull, persistent aching in his chest. She was a woman killed in her prime – a caring, affectionate wife and mother whose only flaw that Kogoro could think of was her hot temper and her pitiful cooking skills. Losing someone you love is never easy, the man thought, but it hurts all the more to know it could've been prevented. The ones left behind can't help but feel responsible; can't help but blame themselves, thinking: 'If I had only done this, she would still be here. If only I hadn't let her go.' Kogoro couldn't figure out which was worse – a middle aged woman killed, one who had had a good but unfinished try at life – or a young boy, who hadn't even had the chance to reach puberty. He didn't know, and he didn't care. There was no comparison between the two. Dead was still dead; no matter how that fact is achieved, the end result is still the same.

And so, with the morbid turn his thoughts had taken, Kogoro Mouri sat at his work desk, concentrating harder than he had in eight years to solve the most irritating conundrum – a young woman named Psiren. The last time he fully utilized his deductive skills was when his wife had turned up missing. An anonymous tip led the police to an old abandoned warehouse on the east side of Tokyo; somewhere Kogoro knew his wife often practiced her magic tricks before shows. He remembered with a startling clarity how he had rushed to the scene, his heart pounding in his chest and barely breathing, already fearing the worst. He remembered being one of the first to storm into the building, along with Megure and his assistant, Wataru Takagi. Kogoro recalled the officers accompanying him searching the building and him lagging behind, spotting an almost unnoticeable door…

By the time he found her, Eri had been dead for hours. Playing cards were scattered around her stiff body, a look of pain etched forever on her face. Her eyes were closed, a small slip of paper clenched tightly against her chest. Nearby, several stage lights lay shattered where they had fallen from above, with shards of the broken bulbs and other debris twinkling from where they were embedded in the woman's skin. Already oxidizing blood caked her hair and face, as well as a light right beside her head. Kogoro clenched his fists, his mouth setting in a grim line. Eri had passed away. Killed by her own stage equipment.

In a daze, Kogoro had approached the body, leaning down beside his wife and pressing shaking fingers to her cold neck. No pulse. He took in an unsteady breath, gently caressing her cheek, wanting to remember the way it felt. He eyes traveled down, and noticing the paper grasped in her hands for the first time, he hesitantly grabbed it, his heart ripping in two as he pulled it from her death grip. He raised it high into the air to catch the faint sunlight coming from a window up above. The glossy surface of a photograph depicted their family – Eri holding a six year old Ran, and Kogoro standing beside her, his arms crossed and smiling at them both proudly. His eyes grew wet with tears. In her final moments, her family had been what she'd cherished most. Slipping the worn, bloodied photo into his pocket, he got up and walked away. Not even knowing how, he exited the warehouse, drove away, and arrived home, ignoring all of Inspector Megure's questions and concerns on the way. The police would discover Eri soon after, but by then, Kogoro had already plopped onto his couch and opened his first beer.

And alone in his house, broken and inebriated, he finally allowed himself to cry.

Days later, it was officially announced that Eri Mouri had been killed in a performance mishap. Upon inspection, detectives found that the whole foundation of the building had been weak, and finally the assorted cords and wires securing the overhead equipment snapped. A forty pound stage light had fallen on her head, knocking her to the ground. Forensics determined that she had still been alive, though neck broken and slowly dying. A large shard of glass penetrating her chest had been what killed her.

As if that wasn't enough, after months of constant mourning Kogoro just couldn't shake the fact that something wasn't right. Something about his wife's death haunted his dreams, and made him unable to forget. The investigators had a slim chance of being wrong, but… Kogoro figured it was about time to do some investigating of his own.

After actively researching for five days straight, he realized three things: One, when Eri had first adopted the warehouse as her training grounds, the interior went through a massive renovation to make it both safe and suitable for use. The idea that equipment only a couple years old would malfunction like that – and all at the same time – just didn't make sense. Two: If Eri Mouri's tragic death was an accident, why did she have her wallet-sized family photo clenched in her hands? The way he saw it, before his wife's death she had been reminiscing over those closest to her; a common practice for terminal patients in their last days. If this were an accident, why would she have it out? She wouldn't have had time… she was impaled within seconds of the incident. Eri had been saying goodbye to the ones she had to leave behind; she had already known in advance that she was going to die. Finally, these two discoveries led him to the last, startling conclusion: Eri Mouri, magician extraordinaire, was not killed accidentally by malfunctioning stage equipment. Someone had set her up.

Someone out there was a murderer.

The moment the enlightenment hit him, he worked tirelessly to piece the puzzles together. He searched the crime scene countless times, looking for a telltale footprint or clothing fiber. He traveled to every magic store, every stadium, and every backwater village that could lead him to more information on the suspicious circumstances of his wife's death. He searched every police file he could get his hands on for some past criminal he could link Eri's death to, and when Megure finally put his foot down, he raided the computer database and took them all anyway. The police commissioner had no choice but to fire him, though he was definitely sympathetic, seeing his best marksmen's rapid downward spiral as a result of distress. He promised Mouri he would reinstate him if he would let go of his misguided theories about Eri's death. In response, Kogoro rewarded him with a black eye and two missing teeth. Only his otherwise impressive record kept him from jail time.

Within a month, Kogoro Mouri had lost his job and his wife. He had been isolated and labeled insane. Still, he pushed on, thinking that if only he caught the guy, he could finally find some peace of mind. But every lead led to a dead end, and his drive began to diminish before finally disappearing all together, with nothing but the love of his daughter to keep him going. Even now, eight years later, Kogoro couldn't think his Eri's death was accidental. Eventually he had stopped searching, but deep in his soul he always had the hope that the bastard/bastards responsible would be caught.

Looking down at the files upon files stacked on his desk, Kogoro got an awful sense of déjà vu. This woman, this thief called Psiren had never so much as injured a person in the eighteen years she'd existed. Her style, he found, was to simply steal, and nothing else. He had a hard time believing that her morals would change in the short time it took to shoot and kill a little kid. Kogoro had been there in Osaka; he had seen her himself as she flew by on her glider. While everyone else had crowded up on a hotel rooftop to await the Psiren's arrival, Kogoro had chosen another vantage point – an office skyscraper several feet away, tucked in a corner of its roof with only his binoculars to aid his search. He had expected to get a good look, but he got a much bigger surprise as the Psiren landed only twenty feet away from him, her back turned to him as she gazed off into the distance. A large amount of blood leaked down her chest and sides, though she held a hand her wounds to staunch the flow. She gazed at the nearby building in silence, watching as a helicopter touched down on the asphalt and paramedics raced to tend to the two wounded Kudo brothers. Kogoro watched, entranced, as she shook her head, backing up slowly before making a mad dash for the edge and initiating her glider just as she plummeted off. Kogoro followed the woman's movement with his eyes, not feeling secure enough to come out of his hiding place until she was long gone. The night was warm, but his arms prickled with goosebumps, and an eerie tingle traveled up and down his spine. Why did Psiren have all those injuries? Why did she take the time to watch over the neighboring Phoenix Tower, if the two there were her victims? Why didn't she escape right away? Confused beyond belief, Kogoro traced the trajectory of the bullets that had killed young Conan. He estimated that they came from the general vicinity of Beika Stadium, and remembering that Psiren had flown in from the west, realized that she had not been the one to fire the shots.

Kogoro narrowed his eyes. Could she have accomplices? "Maybe," he mumbled aloud, scratching at the stubble on his chin. "But I doubt it." Maybe he was looking too far into things. Maybe after all these years of living on the edge Psiren had finally cracked and filled some random citizens full of holes. Maybe… but maybe not. As far as leaving clues, the thief was not being very cooperative. So far he hadn't uncovered much more than the police had, but he did have one advantage – motivation.

The door to the detective agency creaked open, revealing Kogoro's daughter in pink silk pajamas. Her long hair was a ragged mess, dark circles ringed her eyes, and her skin was an unhealthy pale white. Looking at her, Kogoro's stomach dropped. She looked _awful_. She hadn't been out of the house in days, and barely ate anything. Often he would walk by her room at night on the way to the bathroom and hear her dry, haggard sobs. Every time it broke him a little bit more, and Kogoro figured that if something wasn't done soon there would be nothing left of either of them.

Ran looked up, noticing her father for the first time. She gave him a shallow, sad little smile. "Hey, Daddy."

He nodded once, grunted, and stared at Ran for a long time. Under his scrutiny, her pathetic mask fell, and she allowed him to see the depth of the pain in her eyes. It left him speechless. "R-Ran…" He wet his lips and swallowed, trying to think of something, _anything_ worthwhile to say. "I, uh… I brought some takeout home today. You know, so you don't have to cook. It's in the kitchen… make sure to warm it up; you know cold food could give you a stomachache." Ran nodded, and with all the vigor of a turtle, shuffled down to the hallway to the kitchen.

Kogoro stood quickly, knocking his chair against the wall. "Ran, wait!"

Her head whipped around, and she gazed at him in surprise. "Y-yes, otou-san?"

Kogoro fidgeted, realizing that he had nothing to say. "Uh… I left you a fortune cookie."

Ran stared blankly, and then slowly nodded. "Um… okay. Thanks, Dad. I'll just… save it for later."

Kogoro nodded in response. "Yeah." And then she was gone, disappearing up the stairs and to the kitchen. He waited for the door to click shut behind her before he slammed his fist into the metal desk. "Damnit!" He hissed, disgusted with himself. "Your daughter is hurting, and all you can talk about is a goddamned fortune cookie?!" Drained, he slid back into his chair, burying his head into his hands. "_Shit_… what am I gonna do?" A twinkle on his left hand caught his eye, and he pulled it back to see the golden wedding band on his finger. He still wore it, just as Eri, buried though she was, wore hers. _'I'm sorry,'_ he thought, twisting the ring back and forth. _'I'm so sorry I couldn't put it all to rest. But I'll definitely do it this time.'_ Kogoro grabbed his files and his pen and went back to work. He might not be the best with words – he never had – but the least he could do for both himself and his daughter was to make sure this case was successfully solved. If that meant Psiren would be put behind bars, then so be it, as long as he could give the ones he loved just a tiny reprieve from all this madness; as long as he could keep one more killer off the streets.

"I bet you'd be surprised to see how serious I can get, huh, Eri?"

--

As Shinichi entered the diner, the small bell overhead jingled invitingly, alerting the employees to his presence. Being so early in the day, business was slow, and – without much else to preoccupy themselves – the assorted waitresses and waiters turned immediately to the door in curiosity. Shinichi blushed and ducked into his jacket as the shop came alive with the excited shouts of adoring Kudo fans. In the midst of the chatter, however, were the soft whispered sympathies of patrons, who noticed the ruffled, tired appearance of the teen detective with a startling clarity. As Shinichi was led to an empty booth near the back of the restaurant, often he would turn his head to view the other tables and people he passed only for them to look away in embarrassment, as if he had caught them in the act of discussing him in secret. He felt a mild form of anger, and of shame – being as proud as he was, it hurt him more for his feelings to be so transparent and him to appear so weak rather than the fact that he was beginning to be seen as a pity case in the eyes of the general public.

"Here you go, sir." His waitress handed him a brightly colored menu, and after taking his drink order, headed in the direction of the kitchen. Now relatively alone, Shinichi abandoned his menu in favor of finding the woman he was supposed to be meeting. He glanced around surreptitiously, but could not find anything the least bit suspicious or out of the ordinary. None of the other customers seemed to catch his attention individually, though looks could be deceiving. Shinichi was scoping out a woman at the counter by herself when the bell over the door chimed again, and a young Caucasian woman dragged herself in.

He knew she was a college student because she was carrying an oversized duffle bag with college level textbooks, although the Tokyo University sweatshirt certainly helped, too. Her short blonde hair was cut into a delicate bob, and while she lugged the heavy bag over her shoulder, he saw that she was slim but well muscled. The same waitress that had seated Shinichi also came over to attend to her, and when the girl looked up he could see the grayish-blue tint of her irises.

"Table for one, ma'am?" The waitress asked, trying to hide her intrigue at the woman's oddly colored eyes.

"Yes… I mean, sure… but I wait." The student glanced around anxiously. "Um… I am to meeting someone here. Is… place I can wait?"

Without being obvious that he was listening in, Shinichi raised an eyebrow. The woman's Japanese skills were subpar, at best, and she carried a strong accent. The waitress, after dissecting what she had meant, led her new customer to an empty space at the counter and handed her a menu. An inquiry was made for rather or not she would like something to drink, but the foreign woman either did not hear or was ignoring it, for she continued to look around in anxiety without a word. Finally the poor waitress gave up and walked away.

'_Well, can't be her,'_ Shinichi decided. _'Not many people can fake an accent that strong.' _Almost as if she had heard his thoughts, the woman turned in his direction and stared right into his eyes. Suddenly, her face lit up.

_**"OH, my god!!"**_ She gasped, rising to her feet. **"**_**You're**__**Shinichi Kudo, aren't you?! The teenage detective from… Te-i-tan…. High School, right? I'm a big fan of yours!"**_ She sashayed over to his booth, slapping her palms down on the table and leaning in. _**"Wow, you're even cuter in person!"**_

"Um…" Shinichi scooted further away, towards the window. "…Thanks." He blinked. **"**_**Oh, I mean… thank you. So you have heard of me?**_

She nodded. _**"Yup! I haven't been here in Japan very long, but you're like a household name here. I've seen you on the television all the time!"**_ She offered her hand for him to shake. _**"My name is Miranda, by the way."**_

Shinichi smiled slightly and took Miranda's proffered hand. _**"Nice to meet you, Miranda-san. Let me guess… you're an exchange student from America, right?"**_

Miranda's eyes widened as she slid into the seat across from him. _**"How did you know…?"**_

Shinichi's smile grew a bit, and the cognitive skills he was so famous for began to come to the surface. "_**I can tell by your accent and vocabulary. People from European countries who speak English use different vocabulary than that of America, and the way they stress their syllables and pronounce words can differ slightly, also. I can tell English is your native tongue and that you don't speak Japanese fluently either, by what I heard from your conversation with the waitress earlier."**_ Miranda blushed, but said nothing. _**"The books in your bag there are college level texts from Tokyo U, and I noticed the margin of one is for a Japanese 101 class…" **_Shinichi raised an eyebrow at her, a question on whether or not she wanted him to continue.

Miranda nodded enthusiastically. _**"Please, continue!"**_

Shinichi sighed. _**"Even though you don't know much Japanese, you still were able to recognize me, though. It's true, you could've just been flipping through the channels and saw my face, but you still wouldn't have been able to know my occupation and you probably wouldn't remember my name, either. So it's obvious you know someone whose fluent in Japanese but also English, someone who can and does speak regularly to you. Naturally the first thing that came to my mind is a host family."**_

Miranda giggled. _**"But I could've found all that stuff out from one of my college friends, too. Most graduates these days study at least one other language."**_

_**"Well…"**_ Shinichi thanked his waitress as she brought him his coffee, and then he proceeded to lift it to his lips and blow gently on it to cool it off. Miranda sat in anticipation of his brilliant comeback, but Shinichi said nothing, only sipped on his hot drink and glanced out the window.

"Shinichi-kun!" Miranda whined. _**"Please, tell me!"**_

Shinichi set his cup back down and chuckled. It had been awhile since he had done this. His physical/emotional injury and sub-sequential dismissal from duty meant that he didn't need nor want to show off his talents to whomever would listen. Most people would probably just coo at him in pity, anyway, totally disregarding anything that came out of his mouth. At least with this perky foreign girl, Shinichi thought, he could forget all his troubles and go back to the way things were before, if only for a minute.

_**"The reason why I said you're an exchange student is…"**_ Shinichi took another swig of his coffee. Miranda swatted him on the arm. Shinichi laughed. _**"Okay, the reason is because of your keychain."**_

Miranda looked down in surprise at the ring of keys hanging on her belt loop. _**"My keychain…?" **_Dangling from it was a small, plain looking keychain advertising the name of a national security system company.

_**"The company that made that key is a high profile one that specializes in protecting houses that need advanced, high-tech security. If you were just studying here in Japan completely on your own, your house key wouldn't be made by a company that only works for business billionaires or equally rich and important people, because only people with a lot of money can afford such a security system, or even need it at all. I'm sure your exchange family lives in a pretty big place… near the business district, correct?"**_

Miranda sat dumbfounded. _**"Yes… you are right. But how did you know such a company even existed?"**_

_**"My family…"**_ The light left his eyes, and as Shinichi stared at his reflection in his coffee he swore he could see the mirror image of his little brother. _**"I mean, I live in a house that uses that company's system, as well…"**_ Shaking off his sudden feeling of remorse, Shinichi grinned expectantly at his guest, though even he knew it was fake. _**"So… how did I do, huh? Got everything right?"**_

Miranda looked down at her lap, her hair shielding her eyes, and began to chuckle. It was almost inaudible at first, but it gradually rose in volume until the woman broke out into full out laughter. She threw her head back and laughed hard and happy, and Shinichi got the feeling that something was terribly wrong.

"Miranda-san? What's so-"

"Actually," 'Miranda' replied huskily, in perfect Japanese, "I prefer to be called 'Beautiful'." She winked at him. "Tantei-san."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Shinichi had been wrong a couple times in his life - not many, but a couple – and even though it was hard, he eventually swallowed up his pride and used his mistakes as a learning experience so he could do better next time. This, however, was not one of those times. He kicked and punched himself a hundred times inwardly for not expecting the unexpected (like all good detectives were supposed to do), while at the same time struggling to appear the picture of aloofness on the outside.

"Psiren," He stated matter-of-fact, trying to salvage the remains of his pride. "I thought you'd never show up."

"No, no, Shin-chan," She whined, still using Miranda's voice but just an octave lower, "I _told_ you to call me Beautiful. It's the only name that suits me." Psiren seemed to contemplate for a moment. "Or, you can call me Sexy. That's just as fine, I believe."

Shinichi glared with all the heat he could muster. "I am NOT calling you that."

Psiren waved her hand dismissively. "Fine, fine, if you must be so cold and unaccommodating, then fine, just call me Miranda as before. But no more of this Psiren junk. You'll give these poor patrons a heart attack." She leaned forward on the table, cupping her hand over her mouth and whispering: _**"And if you don't mind, detective, I would prefer if we carried out the rest of our talk in English. The walls have ears and all that."**_

Shinichi nodded. _**"Of course."**_ He blinked. _**"How did you know I was fluent?"**_

_**"How could I not know? You're Shinichi Kudo. You lived in Hawaii for a year. Your parents have been living in the States for the past three years now."**_ Her expression softened. _**"Though, they'll probably be back here soon…"**_

"Yeah," Shinichi's voice seethed hatred. "I'm sure they will."

Psiren sighed. "Shinichi-san… this is going to be a rather long and uncomfortable session if you continue to abhor me so."

_**"Prove to me that my anger is misguided, then."**_

Psiren narrowed her eyes, and in that moment Shinichi saw more depth and secrets in those eyes than in anyone else he'd ever seen. Her mouth creased into a frown, and her expression clearly said _"Shut up and listen or I will KILL you."_

_**"Let me tell you a story, detective. It begins almost a decade ago, when I discovered that someone I loved dearly had died…"**_

_**"She was… a mentor of sorts, I guess you could say. I learned almost everything I knew from her. As you know, she was the original Psiren. She was part of a major criminal organization… and don't look at me like that, Shinichi. Let me finish. She was young and naive when she joined, but… well, she learned a little too late how screwed up things really were there, and she tried to get out, but… they have a saying in the Organization: 'Death comes first.' Once you enlist, they own your soul, basically. While my teacher was planning her escape, the Organization was in the process of searching for a certain jewel… Pandora, to be exact. My teacher, the first Psiren, had been one of the assigned to find it, but with her change of heart, she withdrew from the search. She didn't want to help the Organization grow in power, and being one of their top players, she figured if she dropped out, they wouldn't be able to find it. But then she found out exactly what the Pandora could do."**_

"And that would be…?"

Psiren scowled. _**"According to legend, the Pandora is a gem that weeps tears of immortality under a full moon. Needless to say, if a crime ring like that got a hold of it, the whole free world would be royally screwed."**_

Shinichi gaped at her, not believing his ears. _**"Are you serious?"**_ He shouted_**. "Are you telling me you actually believe that? A jewel that grants immortality?!"**_

Psiren's expression darkened. Her gaze turned to the window, and the hundreds of people walking the streets. A young family composed of a father, mother, and twin toddler boys walked in front of the restaurant, and both young adults in the booth looked away in shame, for what they saw was something they no longer could have.

_**"There are things in this world, Shinichi, that we will never fully understand. There are things at work in this world that may never make sense. Seeing is not always believing. …Anyway, once Psiren – the first – found out, she changed her mind. She would continue her search for Pandora independent of the Organization, in order to make sure the Organization could not have it. When the other operatives found out about her scheme, naturally they went after her."**_ She closed her eyes and hid her face, for she could feel the tears beginning to form.

'_Kaito-sensei, I will NEVER be good at Poker Face.'_

_**"She… was dead before she even got close. But to this day, Pandora has never been found. So, in a way, she did prevent the Organization from getting its hands on it."**_

_**"My teacher lost her life to the people she once could have called family. I know you're probably thinking what does it matter, she was a crook, too, but my teacher was trying to redeem herself. By looking for Pandora and quitting the Organization even though she knew both might cost her her life, she hoped to atone for the mistakes she made. My teacher was not a bad person. And-"**_ Psiren looked directly at Shinichi. _**"Neither am I."**_

She placed her hand on Shinichi's, and he didn't pull away, though he couldn't return her gaze, either. _**"Shinichi, I'm so sorry for what happened to your brother… really, I am, but this is much bigger than both of us now. Hundreds and thousands of lives are at stake every day these people are allowed to exist."**_ When Shinichi said nothing, she continued. _**"…Have you ever heard the legend of the red thread?"**_ To this, he nodded. _**"It says that two lovers are forever bond by a red thread on each of their fingers, and no matter how far apart they are, or even if one of them crosses into death, the two will always be one in spirit."**_ She chuckled. _**"Now, I'm not saying that there's anything romantic between us – God forbid – but there is quite a bit of fate that connects us now."**_ Psiren drew her hand away. Already she was starting to feel nervous; Shinichi hadn't said anything for a long time now. Ran was beginning to think that this whole meeting was an awful idea, like Kaito had tried to warn her. _**"No doubt, you want to stop these guys from killing more people, while avenging your brother's death at the same time. Our goals are the same, Shinichi,"**_ She was practically pleading now. _**"Even if we technically on different sides of the law, we want the same thing."**_ Ran wet her lips and swallowed. And after putting her heart right there on the table for Shinichi alone to dissect, she waited.

Shinichi deliberated and attempted to digest everything he had heard. His compassionate, sympathetic side told him he could believe her, but his detective side told him he could trust no one, especially not a thief. And even if she was telling nothing but the truth, how could he, a detective, justify working with a working criminal, despite the circumstances? It didn't take long for him to give a mental screw you to what was considered plain and proper. This was definitely not a plain and proper situation.

_**"Regardless of who did it, Conan is still dead,"**_ Shinichi blurted. Psiren flinched from the bluntness of it. _**"And even if it was someone else who fired the bullets, my leg is still shattered because of my proximity to you. And you realize that even if I were to believe you, I still wouldn't entirely trust you."**_ He waited for her response.

_**"Yes,"**_ Psiren replied. _**"I understand."**_

_**"But,"**_ Shinichi ran his fingers through his hair in an agitated way. _**"What you said… people can't make stuff like that up. I think I knew all along that you weren't the only party involved… I just didn't want to believe it. But… even if I agree to work beside you, even if I agree to a truce, I'm still not supporting you being a thief. I'm not supporting you harming or inconveniencing innocent people for your own agenda, whatever it may be. And even if I really want to catch the guys who murdered my brother"-**_ Shinichi gave a shuddering sigh. _**"I'm not going to stop doing my job. If you stage another heist, I will go after you. No holding back. And if someone else gets hurt on your watch, during your heist... if another innocent is harmed while you're around, the world will blame you. And so will I. Because, you didn't have to continue your teacher's tradition. You didn't have to start searching for a jewel you're not sure even exists. And you didn't have to try and do something as utterly **_**stupid**_** as take on a whole criminal organization all by yourself. "**_

_**"Yes," **_Ran agreed, laughing bitterly._** "You're right."**_

_**"Still, I want to believe you." **_Shinichi leaned back, looking lost and holding his arms crossed over his head. _**"Does that make me stupid, too?"**_

"Maybe," Psiren whispered, and reluctantly, Shinichi smiled. "Maybe… it does."

--

"Well, well, well… look what the cat dragged in."

Tequila removed his hat, and scowled. "Shaddup," he said to Vodka, walking across the room without a glance in the man's direction. "I ain't come here to hear your goddamned mouth."

"You shouldn't have come here at all," Gin replied smoothly, his legs up on the marble table in front of him. "Vermouth's not too pleased with how trigger happy you were at the last job."

Tequila grunted, but said nothing. He wasn't stupid. He was just a lowly foot soldier, and Gin would turn on a lackey at the slightest provocation. He sat down across from Gin, whose own black hat was slid completely down over his eyes. His long blonde hair, oddly enough, was tied back into a ponytail. In an instant Tequila was on the defensive. He'd always known his boss as a fairly methodical man, and the smallest changes in his manner or appearance were causes for concern. Tequila considered Gin with consternation. "What's up with the new look?" He mumbled. "Ya goin' undercover 'er somethin'?"

"Nah," Gin replied, lifting the brim of his hat to stare Tequila in the eye. "I just don't like to get it dirty."

Tequila's eyes widened, and he jerked to his feet and backed away, knocking his chair to the ground. "Shit!" He hissed. "_Shit._"

Gin pulled out his gun and cocked it, grinning. "Why don't you and I… go outside an' "talk" fer a bit?"

--

"Shinichi?"

Standing on his porch, struggling to find the house key in his pocket while keeping balance on his crutches, Shinichi turned at the sound of his name. Before him stood Kimiko Aikazawa, his girlfriend who – ironically enough – he had not seen nor talked to in over a month. "Kimi?" He hobbled around in a circle so he could face her. "What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be at school?"

Kimiko blushed and shook her head, holding a brown paper bag horizontal in her arms. "They let school out early today… there was a fire in one of the Chemistry labs, so they had to evacuate everyone… oh!" She hurried toward him. "Let me help you with that, here, I'll find the key." Without any concern for his self-preservation, Kimiko patted down his front and back pockets until she found it, not even noticing the tomato red blush on her boyfriend's face. Once the door was open, she half-supported, half-carried Shinichi into the house, all while balancing a paper bag on her free arm. Shinichi thanked her and then busied himself with the motion of pulling of his raincoat and kicking off his one tennis shoe.

"Wow, I just now realized that I've never been in your house before."

Shinichi watched his girlfriend curiously; who was looking around his entryway like it was something straight out of a fairytale. "Oh, well… I guess I never really thought about. This place is pretty big, and it gets pretty nasty if you don't clean often – which I don't." Shinichi laughed. "Ran is usually the one who comes over and dusts and stuff… otherwise I think I would've died of insufficient oxygen in here." Now that he thought about it, he hadn't seen Ran since Osaka. What exactly had she been doing? Did she ever bother to come over or call him? Or, was he too busy wallowing in his misery to notice?

"Oh," Kimiko said simply. "Ran-chan is your best friend, isn't she? You've known each other forever."

Shinichi froze. This conversation was going into dangerous territory, and with all his detective skills he couldn't find a way to get out of it without hurting Kimiko's feelings or making up some stupid excuse for Ran. What the hell, he thought. Might as well tell the truth. "Yeah," Shinichi said, trying to be casual and indifferent about it. "Our parents were good friends before we were born, so I guess it was just destined to turn out that way. I think we've been friends as far back as diapers." He chuckled at the thought. "Really, Ran is like family. Like a sister, even."

Kimiko smiled. "Ran-chan is very sweet… and she's so good at karate, too! I really envy her. I wish I could be strong like that." Shinichi instantly tried to reassure her, telling her that, no, you're wrong, and you're just as strong as Ran, but Kimiko would have none of it. "Maybe I'm good at math and science, but for sports and stuff I'm a weakling. No muscle tone at all!" She laughed, poking her stomach. "Look at that, nothing but a pillow cushion! Seriously, though, I think me and Ran-chan would be great friends, if only she hadn't-" Sensing she had crossed an invisible line; Kimiko cut herself off and sealed a hand over her mouth.

"…What?" Shinichi said wearily. He limped over to her, a suspicion in his eyes. "If only Ran hadn't done what, Kimi?"

"Um, nothing!" She squeaked. Remembering the paper bag, she held it out to him. "Here! I made you something! Think of it as a get well present from me!"

Shinichi gave her a Look, but took the bag anyway and wordlessly accepted her blatant change in topic. The paper crumbled noisily as he pulled out the item itself, and as he held it out before him his eyes lit up. "Lemon pie!"

Kimiko chuckled. "I heard from some of the tennis club members that you really like lemon pie, so I baked this for you myself! The crust is homemade and everything."

"Wow, I haven't had lemon pie since… well, forever! Thanks." He smiled at her, and Kimiko turned ten shades of pink. "Really, I mean it. Thank you. That was really sweet of you."

"Y-you're welcome!" She chirped in pleasure. Glancing at the grandfather clock against the wall, Kimiko's eyes widened. "Oh my gosh! It's already 2:30?! I have swim practice in half an hour." She glanced at him sheepishly. "I'm sorry, Shinichi. But I have to go now." She slid her shoes back on and yanked open the front door. "I really hate to leave… this was the first time I got to come to your house and I only got to see the foyer!" She beamed up at him. "But tell me how you like the pie, okay? It was my first time baking something completely from scratch, so it's okay if it's not as good as what you're used to having. In matter of fact, you can say it's horrible! It's okay!" Kimiko gave him her best earnest expression. "It's okay if you don't like it! Just throw it away and tell me it sucks! I can take it! I just want you to do whatever you can do so you can hurry up and get better, okay?" She clenched her fist over her chest, looking determined. "Even if it means my feelings will get hurt, I would gladly sacrifice a chunk of my confidence in cooking if doing so would make you feel better!"

Shinichi sweatdropped. "Um… really, that's okay. I would never insult your cooking! I'm sure it'll be delicious." He bent down and pecked her on the lips. "You should probably get going now. It's already 2:35."

Kimiko gaped at him like a fish, still getting over the pleasant surprise of her kiss. "Oh…okay. I-I'm going right now." She hugged him and kissed him, then reluctantly drew away and stepped out onto the porch. "Make sure you spend all your energy on getting better so you can come back to school!" She jumped off the porch. "And remember: I can take it!"

Shinichi covered his mouth to keep from laughing out loud. "Alright, Kimi. I'll remember. Bye." After watching her clear the front gate and go dashing down the sidewalk, Shinichi closed the door and hobbled into his kitchen, where he placed the lemon pie on the counter by the sink.

"Now time for some lemon pie," he chirped, but no sooner than he had cut his slice and sat down at the kitchen table with a glass of milk did the bell ring. Another surprise awaited him when he opened the door.

"Ran?" He squeaked in surprise. "What are you doing here?"

Ran blushed pink, hiding a plastic grocery store bag behind her back. Shinichi got a bad sense of déjà vu. "I just… I mean, school got let out early today, and I wanted to stop by and just visit for awhile." She shrugged. "I'm sorry I never came around sooner… it's not that I didn't care or anything, but I just figured you need some time after… you know." Her eyes welled up in an instant, and Shinichi had to look away. "So…" Ran put her hands on her hips, her sorrow back deep within her chest. She raised an eyebrow. "Are you going to let me in or are you going to stand there gawking all day?"

"Oh! Sorry…" Shinichi limped out of the way and let Ran pass, then shut the door. Unlike Kimiko, Ran didn't wait for empty pleasantries or stare in wonder and fascination at his European-style home; she headed straight for the kitchen, where she immediately went to work, taking out plates and pots and pans and sending a noisy clatter throughout the empty house.

"Ran? What are you doing?" Despite himself, Shinichi picked up his crutches and followed after Ran with their support. Although he would love to travel all of ten feet unaided, he had to accept the fact that it just wasn't possible right now. Just walking to the kitchen the first time had left him winded.

"What do you think I'm doing, Shinichi?" Ran asked, removing a box of noodles from the pantry and placing it on the counter with the other assorted ingredients. "I'm cooking. God only knows the last time you had a decent meal."

"Umm… it was yesterday, actually." Ran glared at him as if to say _yeah…right._ "No, really! Professor Agasa made me instant ramen yesterday for lunch." Ran's glare then turned from _yeah…right_ to _Are you kidding me?!_. "It was beef," Shinichi supplied weakly, though he knew he had no argument.

"I think you've just proven my point." Ran deadpanned. She filled one of the pots with tap water and set it on the stove. Then she began breaking up the spaghetti noodles until they were short enough to sit comfortably at the bottom. "Are you alright with spaghetti?" She asked. "I hope so, because I don't think anything else in your fridge or pantry is safe to eat right now."

"…Spaghetti is fine." Shinichi took a seat at the table and watched Ran cook. She was quite the master in the kitchen, it was true. Many a day Shinichi had wandered over to her apartment, bored and starved, hoping to get a free meal. Although she always complained about his immature, incompetent ways when it came to housekeeping, she always gave in, and eventually it became such a tradition between the two that Ran started to make a meal just for Shinichi to take home with him. Which was something Kogoro was not fond of, but as long as he got his too, he got over it.

"Shinichi," Ran mumbled, puzzled. "What's this?" His attention once again on her, Shinichi saw her unwrap the aluminum foil on the pie and stare confused at the contents inside.

"Oh, just something Kimiko baked me," He murmured, though he instantly regretted his casualness. He expected Ran to flinch, scream, or smash things, but she did nothing of the sort. Instead, she mumbled a simple "oh" and went back to her ministrations. After several minutes of peaceful silence went by, finally Ran broke it. "There's a piece missing. Did you try it already?"

Shinichi glanced over at the untouched pie. "Uh… not yet. I was just sitting down to eat it when you got here."

Ran sighed. "I guess, since you ARE recovering from a broken leg and all, you can eat dessert before dinner." She looked at him from over her shoulder, and grinned. "Just don't get used to it."

Shinichi gave a mock salute. "Yes, sir!" And he dug into his pie. Silence once again fell over them.

"…I'm so sorry, Shinichi," Ran said, and Shinichi stopped mid-chew. "I… wanted to come over as soon as I heard… I wanted to be here for you if you needed me, but I was scared. I didn't know what I was supposed to do… what I was supposed to say… I was a mess myself, and I still am. I… couldn't even imagine what you were going through. So… I guess I chickened out. I'm sorry. I'm your best friend… I should've been here no matter what…"

Shinichi swallowed, though the pie had lost its succulent taste. "Really, Ran… it's okay. I understand. You just didn't want to be in the way, that's all."

Ran slammed down her knife. Shinichi jumped. "No, it's not okay!" She whirled on him. "Even if you didn't want me here… even if you tried to push me out or push me away… I still should've been here! You didn't even have a choice! Maybe you could've needed a shoulder to cry on, maybe you still do, but the fact is that I wasn't around before!" Shinichi stiffly got up, going over to the trashcan, where he threw away his half-eaten pie. "Ran, seriously… it's okay." As he moved back toward the table his injured foot caught the side of a table leg, and a horrible pain lanced up leg. Slumping against the counter for support, he clutched his leg and let out a string of curses.

"_Shit!_" He hissed.

Ran watched as he tried to both alleviate the pain in his leg and somehow keep his balance at the same time. He was failing at both horribly. "Oh, Shinichi…here, let me help you-"

"I'm fine, I'm fine," he snapped. Shinichi waved off her concern as grasped the edge of the counter with both hands to keep himself upright. "I'm used to it by now. I'm not totally helpless, ya know."

Ran frowned. "Just because you're used to it doesn't mean you should have to accept it. And there's nothing wrong with getting a little help every now and then."

"I'm _fine_," Shinichi barked.

"No, you're not!" Ran shouted. "You're not fine but you're being stubborn and your head is so big you shouldn't be able to get through a door!"

"Ran, don't tell _me_ what _I _am. You have no idea how I feel. You didn't just lose your brother. You didn't just watch your brother get murdered!!"

"I didn't?" Ran retorted. Her voice lowered to a whisper. "Shinichi, I didn't just lose someone I care about, too? You think I don't feel bad for what happened?!" Her eyes filled with tears. "I don't know exactly how you feel, that's true. Conan's last name wasn't 'Mouri'. But he was still every bit my brother! I loved him, too! He _is _my family! Just like you. You're my best friend, Shinichi. I care about you, too. I'm right here for you, Shinichi. If you'll let me. You don't have to carry the burden all by yourself." She sobbed. "Why don't you trust me? Can't you trust me with that much, Shinichi?!"

Shinichi was stunned into silence as Ran tried to quell her tears. This isn't right, she thought. I have no right to be getting angry at him. Why should he give her his trust? After all, she was keeping the biggest secret in the world from him. She had affected his life in horrible ways and he didn't even know it. Just days ago, he had sat in a diner while she told him her whole life story except the detail that the original Psiren was the current Psiren's mother, and he still believed he hadn't seen Ran since Osaka. She was the last person who should be telling someone else how to live or what to do. She knew that. But still, she couldn't deny the fact that she loved Shinichi, and even if she couldn't be 100 percent honest with him, she expected that very thing from him. It was unfair and selfish. Why didn't that bother her more?

While all this was going through her head, Shinichi was trying desperately to think of something to say. "Ran…" No reassuring or appropriate words came to mind, so he tried again. "Ran, I-" Strike two. Three time's the charm. "Ran, I'm sorry." He limped to his friend's side and wrapped and arm around her shoulder. He swallowed uncomfortably. "I know you were worried about me. I shouldn't have blown up at you like that. It's not your fault." Ran, sobbing quietly, slipped into Shinichi's arms. He stiffened, though he didn't push her away. "Geez, Ran," he mumbled, blushing, "What are you crying for? _I_ should be the one feeling like crap."

"No, Shinichi." Ran hiccupped, and then laughed at her piteous state, wiping the tears from her eyes with the back of her hand. "You don't have to act so strong all the time… I just wish you'd confide in me more, is all." She looked up into his face, a sad smile residing there. "I…" She lost her train of thought for a second, being so close to him like this. She could feel the blood rushing to her cheeks as she looked down, swallowed, and said: "I just want you to be happy, Shinichi. That's all I could ever want."

Shinichi's breath left him in a whoosh. Perhaps he had known how Ran felt, but this was the first time she had spoken so openly about it since her confession. An unknown feeling settled in his stomach; a disturbing mixture of affection, pain, and anger. Without even realizing it, Shinichi had wrapped his arms around Ran's shoulders and pulled her to him. Her soft woman's body fit against his perfectly, and – Shinichi acknowledged the horrible cliché – they were made for each other. He rested his head on top of Ran's and sighed. Her hair was soft and smelled of green apples.

"Sh-Shinichi?"

"I blame Psiren for Conan's death, Ran." He closed his eyes, concentrating only on the sound of his own breathing. "If it wasn't for the heist, Conan would still be here right now." Shinichi felt her nod. "But she says it wasn't her fault. She came to my house a few days ago. Told me to meet her, so I did. She was in disguise, of course, but we talked about a lot of things. She told me… that I had it all wrong. There's some sort of criminal organization that's after her, and they fired the shots. I don't know if I believe her, but I think I want to. But whoever is responsible… I made a promise to Conan." He narrowed his eyes. Ran sniffled. "I promised I'd find who did it and bring them to justice. I promised, Ran." His grip on her shoulders tightened, though not painfully so. "No matter what it takes." Ran flinched, so Shinichi pulled away. "Ran? What's wrong?"

The look on her face stopped him cold. Her eyes were shiny with tears and her cheeks were flushed pink from crying. And though she tried to hide it, Shinichi's words were like a knife to the heart, and it was twisting. Why did have to be like this? Did she really have to be forced to choose between honoring the memory and life of her mother and protecting her relationship with her best friend?

"Shinichi… is that how you really feel?" She whispered. "No matter what? You'll do whatever you need to get revenge for your brother? What if… what if, to do that, you had to hurt someone you care about? What if you had to get hurt? Could you still do it?"

"Ran, what are you talking about?"

Ran smiled indecipherably, and, balancing on her tiptoes, she leaned up and kissed him.

Shinichi froze and his mind went blank. The weird feeling in his stomach grew more pronounced, but it wasn't exactly bad. It was sort of… nice. Slowly, his brain came back to life, but his thought process was very limited. '_Oh wow, this feels really good and she's so soft and warm and nice but ohmygod I'm kissing my best friend and I think I like it!'_ Sensing his surprise and inaction, Ran broke the kiss, looking sheepish.

"Shinichi… I'm sorry-" Her eyes widened as Shinichi cupped her face in his hands. His eyes were half-lidded and dazed, and they were staring at her mouth. Without a word, he leaned forward and captured her lips.

'_Holy-'_

His touch at first was hesitant; unsure – just a feathery light brush across the lips. But when she only whimpered in disappointment, Shinichi came back for more. Holding her face gently in his hands, he deepened the kiss and Ran's lips parted a little. Their mouths melded together, Ran's tongue traced the inside of his mouth and sent a chill up his spine. This was wrong, Ran knew, but she couldn't bring herself to pull away just yet. _'If I can't have anything else, please then let me have this.'_ Her hands slipped up and down Shinichi's arms, warming them, and then finally settled on his shoulders.

'_Why can't it… always be like this?'_

'_Shit… what am I doing?!'_

Shinichi jerked his head away, breathing hard as he looked at Ran with wild eyes. "Ran…" He whispered.

Ran blushed and stepped back, giving Shinichi the space he so desperately needed. "I'm so sorry, Shinichi… I didn't… I don't know what happened…"

"That's fine," he blurted out, limping back over to the table. His cheeks were flushed and his voice high and squeaky. "It's okay… um, I'm just _really_ freaked out right now." _But not in a bad way! _"Ran, I think you should go back home now… I can cook dinner from here…"

Ran nodded, feeling like the scum of the earth. "O-okay. I'm really sorry about this." She turned and headed toward the door, but not before stopping to say, "What I said before, about what you'd be willing to do… this criminal organization Psiren told you about seems pretty dangerous." She glanced at him over her shoulder. "I just don't want you to get yourself killed, that's all. You… won't be any good to Conan or any of the rest of us if you're dead. That's all I meant. And…" She began walking away, though she raised her voice accordingly. "If someone else has to get hurt in the process, is it really worth it?"

Shinichi stared at the lemon pie on the counter, saying nothing. And then, he noticed something. Beside it was the plastic bag Ran had carried with her earlier today, and it sat unopened and untouched. His curiosity piqued, he walked over and untied it, peeking inside. The box of chocolate chip cookies was fairly warm, as if they had just been baked this afternoon. He blushed in shame, and then he dumped both the pie and the cookies into the trashcan, bile rising in his throat, though the tingling sensation of Ran's kiss remained.

--

_Heiji Hattori had never been more disturbed in his life. Just as he thought he had lost and Psiren had won, the ear splitting roar of soaring bullets echoed in the night air. Over the commotion of downtown city life, he was surprised he even heard it. It almost seemed as though the moment that gun was fired, the world went quiet in response, as if everyone in Osaka knew that something had gone horribly, terribly wrong._

"_Hattori-san!" An urgent voice cried over the radio. "We just heard gunshots! I don't see Psiren, but I've just received word that Kudo-kun is on top of Phoenix Tower and has sustained serious injury!!" Heiji's father barked the appropriate commands to his subordinates, and then left the rooftop with not a word to his son. Heiji, however miffed, could not fault him for it. As intelligent as he was, Heiji was not a member of the police, and he had no business meddling in dangerous police affairs._

_Didn't mean he wouldn't try._

"_Damnit, Kudo!" Heiji cursed, giving chase. "I knew I shouldn't have let you outta my sight!"_

Heiji yawned, slumping down in his chair as he watched the world zip past him outside his window. A bullet train really was the best way to travel, these days. He could travel to Tokyo in less than half the time it would take by car, and it was much less stressful, but man was it boring. Heiji had already read through _The Scarlet Letters _once and was now flipping back and forth through his favorite scenes. He sighed. When he had heard of the death of Shinichi Kudo's little brother, he had almost not wanted to believe it. After all, Heiji had seen the little brat himself just thirty minutes before. It was common for detectives, especially those as high profile as him or Shinichi, to make enemies in their line of work, but never could Heiji recall something this serious. It didn't take long for the rumors to bubble up, and the conclusions made about as little sense to Heiji as the case itself. Psiren, a murderer? No way. But, he did acknowledge that something _really_ fishy was going on here.

In the last week, he could name about ten people off the top of his head who had been killed in the city of Osaka alone, all of them either policemen or involved with the police in some way. It had been kept under wraps, but Heiji had firsthand knowledge that half of those murders had taken place the night of the Psiren heist. One police trooper had his neck broken and the clothes stolen right off his back. Forensics used every trick in the book to try to find evidence, anything that could perpetuate a killer, but nothing whatsoever could be found. It was as if the so-called killer never existed. Heiji didn't discredit the fact that it could be Psiren, but honestly he felt that whatever was going on was too big even for her.

Heiji narrowed his eyes. "If my deductions are correct, this is one case Kudo won't be able to handle on his own."

And about seven seats behind him, Kazuha snorted, jealousy written all over her face.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

**A/N: **Sorrrrry, everyone, for the excessive bold text and melodrama that took place in this chapter. But this one really was fun.I'm sure all the ShinichixRan supporters out there appreciate this chapter… nothing has really developed between them at this point (because Shinichi is stupid cough), and being the SxR fangirl I am, I just had to sneak some hints of romance in there. Will it actually lead anywhere? Who knows? I am, after all, just the author. xD

Next time, on **'Don't Play by the Rules'**: Conan's funeral. Yukiko and Yusaku Kudo arrive to their homeland to lay their youngest to rest; Heiji and Shinichi try to solve the final mysteries of Psiren while Shinichi tries to work out his confusing feels toward his best friend, and the Black Organization begins plans on a major operation… one that will change the lives of our heroes forever.


	10. Risky Business

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Detective Conan.

--

**Don't Play by the Rules**

Chapter Nine: Risky Business

"Well he's dead, that's for sure."

The crickets chirped lazily as Aoko glared up at her husband. "Yes, Kaito, I've realized that." She removed her fingers from the dead man's neck and stood up. "I asked if you knew who he was." She eyed the corpse's all black attire and the suspicious scar across his cheek, already coming to a conclusion but hesitant to say it out loud. The afternoon sun was beginning to set as the couple stood at the edge of a ditch, staring at the fairly fresh corpse of a tall Kansai man, the high water reaching to his shoulder blades.

Kaito frowned and looked away. "Tequila."

"So you do know him, then?"

"Not really. I never really spoke to him. He was just one of the stooges they sent out for the smaller missions." He folded his arms. "Don't know what he did to get himself killed, though."

Aoko watched Kaito carefully, seeing the varied emotions passing over his face. The fact that he was showing anything at all was a cause for concern for her; Kaito had an innate ability to hide the things he didn't want anyone to see. Aoko had considerably more of his trust than most other people, of course, but even she at times felt as if there was a part of her husband that she would never be able to reach. The dead body lying in front of them was evidence of that. "It's been awhile since you left," Aoko stated matter-of-factly, but not unkindly. "May be he's climbed himself up the ranks since then."

"Yeah," Kaito agreed, looking up at the sky – a pale blue washed with the light pinks and oranges of a sunset. "Maybe he did." He felt Aoko's eyes on him, but he continued his perusal of the sky while he allowed his mind to wander.

"The police will be here soon." Aoko put her hand on his shoulder. "You should probably make yourself scarce, in case people start asking questions."

Kaito waved away his wife's concern. "Nah, no need to go through all that. I'm just a man taking a late afternoon walk with his wife, who just happens to stumble upon a body in the ditch on his way."

"Never mind the fact that you went looking for him," Aoko deadpanned.

"Yes," Kaito replied, eyes crinkling in a smile. "Never mind that." His face sobered suddenly, and when he spoke next, his voice was low and hard. "This is a problem, though. There have been way too many murders lately. And I'd have to say that more than half are directly connected to the organization."

A light bulb went on in Aoko's mind, and she turned to him with urgency. "Kaito, that reminds me… the Tokyo police commissioner has gone missing."

Kaito managed to keep his face impassive, but he couldn't keep his stomach from lurching. "What?"

Aoko nodded, frowning as she looked away. "It's been four days. No one has seen or heard from him. It goes without saying that they suspect foul play, but no one has any ideas. The other guys at the office are getting antsy. There's no one around to oversee most of the forces, so everyone's running around like a chicken with their heads cut off…"

Kaito shook his head sadly. "Not good. Not good at all." Aoko slipped her hand in his, and he gave it a light squeeze. "I'm sorry, Aoko," he said regretfully, looking back up at the shimmering sun. "But we may have to move again…" His expression was so resigned and remorseful, Aoko almost wanted to cry. After all these years of marriage, he still felt as if he was burden on her; as if she would be much better without him. As an ex-organization member, he was constantly at risk of being discovered, which put Aoko at danger as well. But the idea of abandoning him was unthinkable to her. At times he looked to her for redemption, but Kaito didn't seem to realize that she craved his warmth just as much as he craved hers.

Aoko rested her head on Kaito's shoulder, taking in his comforting male scent. "Wherever you go," she murmured softly in his ear, "I'll always be there. Idiot."

Kaito chuckled. "Yeah, you always are, aren't you?" He traced over the ragged scars on his left arm absentmindedly, and he sighed. Seeing his movements, Aoko grabbed his arm and held it up to her lips. She kissed the offending scars, holding Kaito's gaze. She smiled.

"Always."

--

The service was closed-casket. Though the mortician had wiped every blood stain, covered every blemish, and dressed Conan in his favorite outfit – his Masked Yaiba pajamas – there was an unspoken decision that seeing the body would be too heavy a burden for the mourning Kudo family to bear. Yukiko insisted upon her arrival, however, to see her son's empty face before the ceremony.

"Please," she begged, tears streaming down her face and her nose running constantly. "Let me see my baby one more time, before I have to say goodbye."

As she leaned over the fine wooden and lacquered coffin, Yukiko lost the last of her control. She collapsed into a hysterical heap on the floor, shuddering. "CONAN!" She shrieked, clawing at the carpet. "Conan! _Conan_!" Yusaku tried to calm her down at first, but his sorrow was just as tangible as hers, and it wasn't long before he slid down to the floor next to her and began sobbing too as he held her. Shinichi stood a couple feet away, watching with increasing guilt. He didn't feel in control enough to mourn with them; instead, he felt he should stay by himself and let his parents say goodbye to his brother by themselves. Shinichi had had longer to cope with Conan's death, but his parents had only just learned of it a couple days prior. Looking at his parents, he felt guilty, but also suddenly he'd never felt more alone.

A hand grasped his shoulder. "Shinichi." Shinichi blushed and turned around.

"Hey, Ran." Despite the tears in her eyes, she sported a similar pink color. "Oh, where's your dad?"

"He's parking the car," she murmured, rubbing her arm. "I know we're a little bit early, but I wanted to see Yukiko-chan and Yusaku…" Ran's face crumbled at the sight of the proud Kudo parents curled up on the floor. "Oh god, Shinichi, I feel horrible…"

Shinichi took her hand. "Don't. It's not your fault any of this happened." Ran looked doubtful. "And stop looking like that. You're making me feel worse."

Ran cracked a smile. "Sorry..." She looked down at their interlaced fingers. Shinichi followed her gaze, coughed, and pulled his hand free. They stood in an awkward silence while they waited for the others to arrive and the funeral to start. As was the custom, the majority of guests were dressed entirely in white. Only Shinichi and his parents, with their familiarity with western customs, were wearing black, though both Yusaku and Shinichi wore white carnations pinned to their shirts.

Despite the impressive media correspondence, Conan's funeral was a relatively small affair. Ran and Kogoro were there of course, as well as Inspector Megure and a couple other officers that were personally acquainted with the Kudo family. Kaito and Aoko were there, tucked in a corner in the back of the room. They didn't plan to stay long or even announce their presence to the mourning family, but they decided to pay their respects anyway (And for Kaito, acknowledge his part, however small, in Conan's death). Professor Agasa showed up as well, along with the Shounen Tantei, who each was accompanied by their parents. The room was quiet as the last few people trickled in and sat down. Yukiko had pulled herself together enough to allow herself to be led over to a chair in the front row alongside her husband and son. The priest walked slowly up to the front and cleared his throat.

"We are here to honor the life and memory of Conan Kudo." Yukiko emitted another loud cry. "At seven years old, Conan was extremely brilliant for his age. Named for Yusaku and Shinichi's favorite mystery author, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Conan followed the example of his older brother and discovered a love for mysteries, logic, and detective work. His greatest wish was to grow up and become a detective, just like his 'nii-chan'." Shinichi flinched. "His cartoon hero was Masked Yaiba, but his older brother was the one he looked up to the most…" The priest meant well, but it seemed like everything he said could only make Shinichi feel worse. "He had an intense love for sweets, and his favorite color was yellow – brilliant like the sun, just like his personality."

Shinichi shut his eyes as the first tears of the day fell. He felt his father's arm wrap around his shoulder and pull him sideways into his embrace. Forgetting his age and his pride for a moment, Shinichi settled into Yusaku's arms and cried silently.

"Conan was a good student," the priest continued. "All through his schooling, he received the highest marks…"

Shinichi looked out from Yusaku's arm to the chairs across the room, where Ran was sitting. She had her face in her hands, shoulders shaking. Kogoro whispered something to her, and Ran nodded and visibly calmed down. She leaned against Kogoro and occasionally took a tissue from him to dab at her eyes or wipe her nose. Fathers, Shinichi thought in passing, truly were wonderful things.

"Now," the priest said, looking up from the set of notes in front of him. "Is there anyone who would like to share their memories of Conan?"

XXXXXX

As the casket was lowered into the ground, he decided to take a risk. He waltzed right over to Yukiko, sprawled out on the ground and staring at nothing, and tapped her on the shoulder. When she still did not respond, he called her by his pet name for her. "Yuki-chan." Yukiko stiffened; no one had called her by that nickname in almost ten years, and there were only three people who she had allowed to use it. One was her husband, when he was feeling playful, the second had been dead for years, and the third and last one Yukiko believed had disappeared off the face of the earth. Apparently he hadn't, because she was hearing his voice. Yukiko turned her head around, and she swore she was imagining things.

"K-Kaito-kun?"

Kaito managed to smile, his cheerful mask slipping into place. "I'm surprised you remember me, Yuki-chan."

Yukiko stared up at him in awe, taking in his messy brown hair and trademark grin. It had been years, but it was him all right! Kaito looked exactly how she had pictured he'd look at forty, dressed in a white silk dress shirt and dark grey pants, with just the faint trace of crow's feet to indicate his age. "Kaito-kun, it _is_ you!" She managed a small smile, placing her hands on top of his. "I haven't seen you in so long… I almost forgot what you looked like!"

Kaito laughed politely. "Yes, seven years is an awfully long time, isn't it? But I like to think I've aged pretty well. …Here, let's get you off the ground, Yukiko-chan. Your dress is way too beautiful to dirty up." Yukiko rose shaking to her feet, and once both were firmly upright she collapsed into Kaito's arms. "I just wish it was better circumstances, Yukiko. I'm so sorry…"

"I know," she hiccupped. "I know. C-C-Conan…!" Kaito sshed her and offered her a handkerchief he had pulled from his jacket pocket. Yukiko took it with a mumbled 'thanks' and dabbed the tears from her eyes. "I'm surprised to see you here in Beika… every time I tried to reach you there was always no answer."

"Well, I've changed my home address quite a few times, and me and Aoko just moved again. The paparazzi and all. You know how it is."

Yukiko nodded. "Mm-hm. Me and Yusaku just got into town yesterday…" She closed her eyes against more tears. "W-we were in our summer house in H-Hawaii… we didn't realize… I-I… we… if I had known what had happened, we would've been here immediately."

"No one would doubt that, Yukiko." He guided her over to her husband and son's side, who watched them with surprised and bewildered expressions, respectively. "Yusaku-san, it has been awhile, hasn't it?"

"Ah, Kaito-san," Yusaku's voice was rough and his eyes red, but otherwise he appeared quite together. One thing Kaito could admire about the man was his diligence. "Thank you for coming to pay your respects-" He sniffled. "-to our son. You remember my oldest, Shinichi, don't you?"

Kaito spared a glance towards the teen, but nothing more. "Yes, but barely. He was only… what? Nine years old when I saw him last? I've heard he's made quite the name for himself, though. You probably don't know me, Shinichi…"

Shinichi stared at his familiar eyes and ruffled hair. "Wait… aren't you Ran's…?"

Kaito nodded. "Godfather, yes." He turned towards an old elm tree, which Kogoro and Ran were standing under. Upon seeing him, Ran waved, and her father sent a nod his way. "We've never been properly introduced, though, have we? Whenever I came to see Ran-chan, I always ended up stealing her away from you. I recall you not liking me very much."

Yukiko and Yusaku laughed, and Shinichi blushed. Now that he mentioned it, he did remember a Kaito Kuroba. Often compared physically to himself (Shinichi, personally didn't see the resemblance), Kaito was a frequent part of Ran's earlier childhood. Shinichi remembered him picking Ran up after school, and then the two of them would get ice cream together or participate in some other fun activity. Thus, Shinichi was usually the odd man out during their elementary days. He'd never, say, kicked Kaito in the shins or coughed in his cereal, but he sure wanted to.

"Yeah, I remember you, Kuroba-san. Nice to, er, finally meet you, I guess."

Kaito grinned, as if he knew something Shinichi wasn't privileged to. "Pleasure's all mine."

Yukiko looked beyond them, to the approaching Ran and Kogoro. "Ran-chan!" She rushed up to Ran and hugged her. "Ran-chan," she mumbled, leading the girl over to a bench where they could talk privately. "Thank you for coming, dear. I've missed seeing your pretty face every day." Ran blushed and thanked Yukiko for the compliment. The two women sat hunched close together against the cold weather and the mutual feelings of sorrow. Yukiko bit her lip, wanting to say something but uncertain about how to go about it. "Ran, may I ask you something? I… I heard that you were in Osaka, too, when…" Yukiko trailed off, but Ran knew what she meant. "You saw C-Conan, didn't you? That day? Before that horrible incident… Ran, what _happened? _I know the broad summary, but not the specifics. Shinichi won't give us a straight answer. And I don't trust that mainstream media gossip."

Ran swallowed. "Yukiko-chan, I don't think I should say… it's too soon for-"

"Don't," She cut in, squeezing her eyes shut. "I hear it enough from Yusaku; I don't need it from you too, Ran. Please. Just, tell me what you know." When Ran still looked reluctant, Yukiko continued her coaxing. "I'm his mother, Ran," She whispered. "Please. I feel so helpless with everything about this. I wasn't here for both my children when they needed me most. My baby, my little Sunshine… Conan is dead. I should at least know h-how it happened. Let me share Shinichi's pain, Ran-chan."

Ran licked her lips, swallowed again. "I…" She wondered how much she should tell her. She thought about alibis and consistencies, but when it all came down to it, she was just a tired, pathetic mess like Yukiko, and Ran realized she just didn't care anymore. "He was shot once in the chest," She whispered. Yukiko choked out a sob. "By some unknown assassin. It… I think it punctured one of his lungs. He didn't die right away. I'm sorry…"

Yukiko wiped her eyes. Felt her husband's gaze, turned towards him. He looked ready to spring over and come to her rescue, but Yukiko shook her head, and he backed off. "Ran, what else?"

She sniffled. "I wasn't right there when it happened. Shinichi and Conan were on the roof of a skyscraper by themselves, after they chased Psiren up there… that's when the guns started going off. Shinichi took one in the leg, and Conan got a shot in his chest and stomach. But… Shinichi was with him when it happened. So, he wasn't alone when he passed… Shinichi didn't tell me much more than he told you, but I get the impression that he didn't suffer long. I think he was numb at that point…"

Yukiko nodded. "I-I guess that's all I can ask for, at this point. Thank you, Ran."

Ran shrugged half-heartedly, glancing away. "Don't mention it. Please."

A silence passed between them. The soft, rumbling sound of male voices floated over them. Kaito said something tinged with sarcasm, and both Yusaku and Shinichi chuckled. Ran smiled inwardly. Kaito was such a master of handing emotions and grief, it scared her sometimes. She wondered idly if she could ever be that in control of her emotions, and, whether she really wanted to be.

"So," Yukiko's tone was clipped. "Psiren, huh. What's that all about?"

Ran stared at her. "What do you mean?"

Yukiko shrugged. "I don't know. Don't you find it a little strange? Nothing like this has happened at one of Psiren's heists before. She's been around for eighteen years. Why are her heists all of the sudden turning bloody?" Ran went ice cold. "Why is it that my family is being torn apart in front of my very eyes? That stupid, _stupid_… Psiren. Conan should still be here right now."

Suddenly, something in Ran snapped. The light in her eyes dulled, and her face settled into an impassive veil. "Are you blaming her, too?" She asked quietly. "Because, I think it's a little irresponsible of you to blame someone when you don't even know what happened."

Yukiko met Ran's eyes, startled. "I-well, I-"

"Yukiko-san," Ran managed a thin, fake smile. "I know you're upset, and you have every right to be angry… but blaming someone isn't going to bring Conan back, and it won't make you feel any better. Trust me."

Yukiko stared at her, then closed her eyes and smiled. "Yes, you're right Ran-chan. I'm sorry. I know this is especially hard for you, too." She cocked her head. "He was like a little brother to you, wasn't he?"

Ran lowered her head, mumbled: "Yeah… that's what killed him."

"…What?"

Ran jerked; surprised that she'd said such a stupid thing out loud. She shook her head, slipping on a mask of bewilderment. "N-nothing. Forgive me, Yukiko-san. I must be delirious. I haven't been sleeping much since… you know." She paused. "I should be going. I don't want to impose…"

Yukiko gave a puzzled smile. "No, no, Ran-chan, you could never be a burden on us. You are family to us; never forget that."

Ran smiled and stood up. "I know. I've always known that." She watched Shinichi, Kaito, Kogoro, and Yusaku make their way over, a thin smile on their faces. Well, at least Kaito's trademark pick-me-up routine worked. The enigmatic man caught her gaze and winked, and Ran gave him the thumbs up in response. Kaito wasn't convinced, however. He held her gaze for a long moment, questioning her with his eyes. He sensed a change in her mood; he was that good at reading her.

Huh. No wonder she was always getting in trouble, why she could never tell a good lie, why all the stress of this whole damn thing was killing her, inside and out. She showed too much. Sometimes she wanted to keep some things entirely to herself, for her to ponder in her mind alone. She'd spent valuable time moping and feeling sorry for herself and guilty, when she could've been making good progress on finding and stopping the Black Organization. Ran decided it was time for a change in priorities. Time to take some more risks. But first…

Her face melted into a soft smile, Kaito relaxed, and her heart skipped a beat. Finally, she realized the power of a good Poker Face.

--

Heiji pulled his credit card out and slid it across the counter to the waiting hotel attendant. She was young and pretty, maybe only a couple years older than him. She took his card cheerfully and swiped it, maintaining easy banter as she typed in his information and waited for the credit card to clear. Heiji's mind was a world away, but he did his best to act polite and seem genuinely interested in what she had to say.

"Yeah, a queen size bed is fine." He answered her latest question while his fingers drummed against the counter impatiently. "I'll need a room for a week, at least. Is it possible to extend it, if I need to?"

The attendant nodded. "Of course, Hattori-san." She fluttered her eyelashes at him. "I'm a big fan of yours, you know. I follow all your cases in Osaka." Heiji grunted in a noncommittal way, signing the hotel receipt. After all day on a train, he was tired. Heiji just wanted to get to his room and take a nap, but this woman seemed as determined as ever to hold him there for as long as possible. At the moment she chattered away about how she just _loved _murder mysteries, and she read every mystery by Ellery Queen and wasn't he just the best author ever?

That caught Heiji's attention. "You like Ellery Queen?"

The woman grinned wide. "Yes, I do!" She leaned forward, puffing out her ample chest. "He is magnificent," She said sultrily, looking Heiji up and down. "_Much _better than that other trifle… what's his name? That Doyle guy."

Heiji matched her grin. "That's what I always say! Conan Doyle is nothing compared to the genius of a good Ellery Queen novel. What's your favorite?"

She racked her brain for a title. "Uh…" She took a stab in the dark, only half remembering the information she had so dutifully searched for on the internet. "The Four of Hearts?"

Heiji nodded. "Yeah… that was a good one," He sagged against the counter, getting comfortable. "As far as original plot devices go, though, my personal pick is-"

"Heiji Hattori!" Said person jumped about a foot in the air. "What are you doin' here, ahou?!"

Heiji was not the least bit surprised when he turned around and saw Kazuha standing there, hands on her hips and the usual _I-am-so-annoyed-right-now_ look on her face. He groaned and narrowed her eyes. "Ahou," he hissed, "we're in the middle of a lobby and you're annoying people. _Shut up_!"

Kazuha narrowed her eyes and she stomped up to him. She poked him hard in the chest. "You come all the way to Tokyo, without a word to anyone, and you expect me to act sweet about it?" She jabbed him again. "What the hell are you doing? _Why_ are you checking into a hotel? I swear, Heiji, if you're here to mess around with some woman, there'll be hell to pay!"

"I'm not meeting anyone, moron! And if I was, it's none of your damn business-"

Kazuha ignored him, pushing past her indignant childhood friend to get to the front desk. "Excuse me," she said sweetly, "but could you tell me which room my dear _friend-_" She glared back at Heiji – "has checked into?"

The attendant shrunk away. That glare made her _really _nervous. "Ah… Room 407, on the fourth floor."

"Good," Kazuha chirped. "Go get my suitcase, Heiji," She told him. "I can't trust you to stay by yourself, so I'm staying with you."

"WHAT?!"

The attendant blinked. "Um… are you two… you know, a couple?" The response made her wince and her ears ring.

"With this moron?" Kazuha shrieked. "No way!"

"Oh, yeah? Well you aren't much of a catch yourself!"

The woman cleared her throat, tried again. "What I meant was… Room 407 is a single suite, with one bed…"

"Well, that won't do. We'll need a double suite, two queens." Kazuha offered the attendant her own credit card. "Here, you can charge it to this. And I'm sorry about the trouble we've caused you." Kazuha's smile was so sweet and apologetic, the attendant almost forgave her. Almost. She still was slightly miffed at the fact that the opportunity to snag famous detective Heiji Hattori was stolen from her. As Heiji mumbled something heated under his breath and Kazuha smacked him, however, she decided it was for the best.

"Here you go, Miss Toyama. You two have the suite on the sixth floor, room 621."

Kazuha beamed at her. "Thank you very much." She pocketed her card and grabbed Heiji's arm, tugging slightly. "Come on, ahou, you have _a lot_ of explaining to do."

"Stop pulling me around! You can't just-"

"I can, and I did! So _shut up_ and start walking!"

XXXXXX

As Heiji swiped his card key and pushed the door open, a light blush spread on his cheeks. The hotel room sported a front living area with a couch, television, and a small television set, but beyond that was a larger bedroom with – true to the attendant's words – two queen-sized beds a mere foot apart. Heiji couldn't see it from the doorway, but he suspected there was only one bathroom. For the next week or so, he would be stuck in a cramped little hotel room with his best _female _friend. Oh lord, what had he gotten himself into?

"How long are you gonna stand there?" Kazuha huffed, pushing past him. "And close your mouth. You're letting the flies in." She dropped her purse on the table and observed their living arrangements. "Well, it's not bad. It's a lot roomier than the ones me and Daddy usually stay in."

"Kazuha, you don't _have _to stay here ya know. I'm just fine-"

Kazuha cocked an eyebrow at Heiji. "What's so wrong with me being here? Are you hiding something from me?" She leaned back and folded her arms under her chest. "You _are_ meeting someone here, aren't you?"

"No, I'm not! I'm just here to see Kudo…"

Kazuha and Heiji stood silent, staring at each other. Finally Kazuha sighed and turned away, fiddling with the contents of her purse. "Oh, I see," she mumbled, eyes hooded. "This is one of those ménage à trois things."

"…What?"

Kazuha stared back at him. "You just bought this room as a cover, so you could go and meet up with this 'Kudo' girl at her place… you probably didn't even plan to actually sleep here…"

Heiji blinked, noticing Kazuha's bitter expression and her tense shoulders. "You think… that me, and Kudo…?" He busted out laughing.

"Stop it, Heiji!" She barked at him. "This isn't funny!"

"Idiot!" He bent over and wiped the tears from his eyes. "Kudo is a guy, and I can honestly say that I don't swing that way!"

Kazuha's eyes widened. "Huh?"

"Kudo… you know _Shinichi_ Kudo? He was at the heist in Osaka a month ago! I came here because I wanted to help him on the Psiren case!" Kazuha blushed and whispered an 'oh', which set Heiji off again.

"Shut up, ahou! You left home without a word to me or anybody! What was I _supposed_ to think?"

Heiji stopped in the middle of his laughing fit. "Hey, that's right… I didn't tell anyone." He watched her with his eyebrows raised. "So… how did you find me here?"

Kazuha sweatdropped. "Uh…"

Heiji's eyes narrowed. "…you followed me, didn't you?"

Kazuha laughed nervously. "Yeah right, as if I would do something stupid like that!" At her friend's doubtful expression, Kazuha picked up her purse and edge towards the door. "Well, the room doesn't have any ice, so I think I'd better go get some. Don't do anything stupid while I'm gone, Heiji!" She scurried out the door, and it clicked shut behind her.

"…ahou." Heiji shook his head, plopping down on the couch. No sooner did he sit down, however, there was a knock at the door. He gave a long suffering sigh and got up to answer it. When he looked through the peephole, he saw Kazuha, hands on her waist. Heiji opened the door.

"Ahou," he mumbled. "Why didn't you bring your key?"

"I forgot it, okay?" She looked indignant as she walked by him. "And there were no ice containers by the machine, so it must be in here somewhere. Help me look for it, Heiji."

"Kazu'," Heiji groaned, but he nevertheless followed after her. "What do we need ice for? We don't even have drinks to use it for."

Kazuha opened the cabinets underneath the sink, but found nothing but spare towels. "Well we have water, and I like mine cold." She straightened at pointed at a row of cabinets above Heiji's head. "Hey, look in there. There must be _something _for me to put the ice in."

Heiji complained under his breath as he reached up to open the first cabinet. Nothing. He closed that one and moved over to the next one. "There's nothing here."

"Try the last two." Heiji saw Kazuha fidgeting with something out the corner of his eye. "Don't decide that there's nothing there without looking through all of them, moron."

Heiji searched the third cabinet and found a clothing iron and a safe, but no containers. "Kazuha, this is stupid. Why don't you just-" He trailed off as Kazuha grabbed his shoulders with both hands. "Kazuha? What the heck are you doing?"

A pair of arms wrapped around his neck, and soft breasts pressed into his back. A sultry purr sounded in his ear. "Hello, tantei-san," A woman's voice said, but it was not Kazuha's. She pressed a gun to his temple, and a grin spread across her face. "We have to talk."

--

"I don't understand." Vermouth stood silent and her face blank as her boss addressed her. "Vermouth, tell me… why?" She flinched almost imperceptibly. "Why is it that over a hundred operatives have yet to capture two people?"

"I wouldn't know, sir," Vermouth replied automatically. "I've done everything I possibly could to motivate them, but I feel like I'm working with fools."

"I believe you're right, unfortunately. Bourbon and Margarita should've been apprehended ages ago. The majority of our members thought they had died, but I have always suspected that they were still living."

Vermouth cocked her head. "Really? I never knew you felt that way. If someone like you told me that, I would've begun searching for them a long time ago."

Her boss drummed his fingers against his desk, abruptly stopped, then said: "Vermouth, you are my favorite and most trusted operative. You do know that, correct?"

Vermouth smiled. Yes, she did know. "No, sir, but I am honored. I will always be loyal to you, Boss."

"Good, because the world is changing, Vermouth, and our organization must be able to change with it. We are so close to our most important goal. So close, I can taste it. As I have done for all other incidents involving the Psiren, I am putting you in charge of overseeing the next operation I am planning. One only has to look at the various news channels to see that it is already underway."

Vermouth grinned. "Yes, I've noticed. You've got people shaking in fear, Boss. And even Fujiwara-san? You're pulling out all the stops."

"Yes, well this isn't just some closet operation. I'm tired of waiting. I want results. And if that means taking some risks, then so be it. Even if he is found and caught, there is virtually no evidence connecting him to the Black Organization, and nothing connecting him to me."

Vermouth sighed. "Fujiwara is an idiot, anyway. I don't care if he _is_ the commissioner of the Tokyo police force; he's still the worst double agent I've had the displeasure to work with. And don't even get me started on that Tequila – the happiest day of my life was having Gin fill him full of holes."

"Vermouth." He interrupted the woman's complaints. Vermouth regarded him with raised eyebrows. "The Eagle has landed." Her eyes widened. "The pieces are all there… we just have to put them all together. But there are too many loose ends to tie up first. Take care of them – every single one. We don't have time for discretion; frankly I don't have the patience for it. Every day this Psiren business is allowed to continue, there becomes more and more of a threat of her gathering the Pandora before us, and an even bigger threat of Bourbon interfering with our plans. Don't do anything reckless, but if people get overly suspicious, cover your tracks."

"But what _exactly_ should we do about Margarita, Boss?"

"Worry first about Pandora. When our victory is in sight, kill her. But there's nothing wrong with letting her lead us to it."

--

Heiji poised his finger over the doorbell, ready to press it, but at the last minute thought better of it and dropped his arm back down. He sighed. He didn't really know what he was doing here. Traveling to Tokyo wasn't an impulse, but standing at the Kudos' front door sure was. Sure, he had planned to talk to Shinichi, but coming to his house seemed like a total invasion of privacy. Heiji hadn't said more than five words to the guy; how could he explain his sudden appearance and the urge to come here and aid him with his issues…? If it was Heiji, he'd think himself plain dumb crazy. He figured Shinichi's feelings wouldn't be very far off, either. But, he'd already paid out the nose for his roundtrip train ticket, and had even gone through the trouble of getting a room at a local hotel. Plus, with the newest development… there was no going back now.

Heiji blew out a breath and rung the bell twice, and then he waited. For a long while, nothing happened - the only sound was the distant roar of cars on a nearby busy street, but finally he heard someone on the other side of the door unlatch the lock and pull the door open, only it wasn't Shinichi. Heiji looked passed the middle aged man with the glasses and the moustache to see a pretty damn good predication of what Shinichi would look like at that age. Heiji blushed; he hadn't counted on anyone else being here. He cleared his throat before he spoke.

"Excuse me for intruding, oji-han, but I came to talk to Shinichi. Is he in?"

Yusaku looked puzzled, but nevertheless answered. "Yes, my son is right down the hall." His eyes widened as he came to a realization. "Ah… You're Heiji Hattori, aren't you? I thought I knew your face from somewhere."

Heiji nodded and smiled, feeling a little more confident. "Yeah, that's me. I came looking for Shinichi, hoping I could get his advice on a case I'm looking into."

"I didn't know you two were acquainted."

"Yeah well, it was only recently. I met him at the last Psiren heist…"

Yusaku's face fell a smidgen – Heiji would've missed it if he wasn't so observant – and Heiji flinched. "I'm sorry, Kudo-han. I didn't mean to touch on a sore subject."

"No, no, it's fine. You wouldn't know." He opened the door wider and showed Heiji inside. "Please come in. You can wait in the living room while I go get Shinichi." He shut the door. "Really, the heist is more of a sore subject with Shinichi than with me or my wife. Conan was just in the wrong place at the wrong time, but I think Shinichi blames himself more than anything else. He believes that he didn't do enough to prevent all of this."

Heiji nodded. "I can understand that. It's only natural…"

"Dad?" Shinichi came in by way of his crutches. "Who was at the do-?"

Heiji offered his hand up in greeting as Shinichi stared, bewildered, at him. "Hey there, Kudo. Long time no see."

"Hattori? What are you doing here?"

"I need to talk to you about something. It's pretty important…" He glanced over at Yusaku, and the older man nodded.

"Right. I'll just leave you two alone. I'll be in my study if you need anything." As Heiji and Yusaku exchanged final empty pleasantries, Shinichi hobbled over to the couch and plopped down. Heiji sat down in the armchair opposite him, fidgeting as he tried to come up with something to say.

"So…" Shinichi raised an eyebrow. "Not to be rude or anything, but I'm sort of confused about why you're here."

"Well, er… not to be insensitive or anything, but I heard about your brother. I'm sorry."

"Yeah," Shinichi said dryly, "me too."

Heiji looked away from the penetrating gaze. "Kudo, there's been a lot of talk about the heist and Psiren and who's responsible, but so far all of it is heresy. Just rumors, you know? But I have some firsthand information… I figured you should know. I understand that this is personally important to you, but I just figured you could use some help."

"Thanks, but no thanks. I'm good on my own."

Heiji narrowed his eyes. "I'm don't doubt that. I don't like to work with partners, either, but I know when I'm over my head. Kudo, fifteen police officers have been killed in Osaka in the last week. Three of them were killed on the night of the heist." Shinichi's eyes widened. "No one has a clue about what's going on. There's no clues, no evidence, just a bunch of stiffs. Every one of them was connected to Psiren in some way. Whether they were on the taskforce or just on duty that night, all of them had something to do with it. There's no denying the pattern. Secondly, five more people were killed in the suburbs; art dealers and other collectors. But they've been killed in the last couple days."

Shinichi leaned forward, intrigued. "I understand the link to the police, but how do the art dealers connect to this?"

"All of them followed a pattern, too – they all owned expensive and rare prints of the same painting – some piece called the 'Mermaid's Retribution'. All of the prints were stolen from the victims' homes after the murders."

Shinichi frowned, pondering. "So you're thinking this has something to do with Psiren and the heist."

"Yeah, but one question first – do you believe all this hype about Psiren?" Heiji raised his eyebrows and frowned. "About her being a murderer?"

Shinichi deliberated for a moment, unsure of how much he could say. On one hand, Heiji was a well-known and highly respected detective seen on par with him himself, and even though they hadn't known each other long, Shinichi trusted his judgment. But on the other hand, Shinichi had already made an unwritten pact with Psiren and had vowed to secrecy. Shinichi finally decided to play it by ear; he'd start off with only a few minor details, and adjust according to how receptive Heiji was to the truth. "I used to, but… recently I've realized this is way bigger than one narcissistic thief."

Heiji nodded. "Yeah, I agree. I remember the second to last heist… the one that took place at Beika Museum, when Psiren was shot at as she tried to escape. She fell right from the sky. It's a mystery how she survived that one, but I doubt she'd come up with such an elaborate plan just to clear herself of suspicion."

"You've been monitoring Psiren since before now?"

"Actually, I just happened to be there at the time. I didn't connect that time to this one until all these murders began taking place. It's no coincidence, and it's no setup, either. Psiren isn't the one who murdered your brother, and she isn't the one who murdered those cops. Yeah, she's a thief, but as far as killing I think she's only guilty by association."

"The problem is finding out who she's associated with."

Heiji nodded again. "Have you ever done research on her? Like, before recently? Have you researched all the items she stole before her recent appearance last spring?"

"Yeah, I have. But I think you should know – this Psiren isn't the same as the one who appeared eighteen years ago."

"What? …Then that makes a lot of sense, then." Heiji reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a thin manila envelope. He ripped it open and handed Shinichi the contents. "About eight years ago, Psiren stole a small emerald called the Eagle's Eye. This was the last gem she stole before her disappearance, and it was never returned. If what you say is true and this Psiren is different, then this means this emerald isn't in her possession. It's floatin' around somewhere and no one can find it. But the funny thing is... there's a legend that surrounds the Mermaid's Retribution painting. According to it, a long time ago a mermaid looked upon a human man with longing, desiring with all her heart to be human like the man she had fallen in love with. This mermaid also had a beloved seagull friend who she came to the surface to visit every day, and they would laugh and talk for hours before the mermaid had to go home. But as the mermaid fell deeper and deeper in love with the human, she began to distance herself from the seagull, until she stopped coming to meet him all together. One day an evil sorceress confronted the mermaid and offered her the chance to be human, if only she would give her something worthwhile in return. Immediately the mermaid thought of her seagull friend, with his unusual and beautiful green eyes, and she knew what she had to do. She called the seagull to meet her, and the seagull was so happy to be able to spend time with his friend after so long that he came without hesitation. But as soon as he showed up, the mermaid killed him and plucked both his eyes out and gave them to the sorceress. She got her wish to be human and the seagull's carcass sunk to the bottom of the sea where it was eaten by scavengers."

"Wow," Shinichi said sardonically. "It's The Little Mermaid, only on crack."

"Well, I never said it was a _happy_ story… anyway, the original painting was displayed alongside that Eagle's Eye emerald in museums worldwide, but after a few decades the translation of the name got skewed. It was originally called the _Seagull's Eye_. But Eagle's Eye just sounded better, I guess."

"So," Shinichi narrowed his eyes in concentration. "Fifteen police officers end up dead, all connected to the Psiren. Then, art dealers selling the Mermaid's Retribution painting are murdered and stolen from. And eight years ago, right before the original Psiren disappeared, she had stolen the Eagle's Eye, which is directly connected to the painting."

Heiji smirked. "Too much to be considered a coincidence, eh, Kudo?"

"So whoever stole the prints and killed all those people is most likely the one after Psiren, and will probably also be after the emerald."

"Right."

Shinichi grinned. "This changes a lot." He looked up at Heiji. "So… you want to help capture these murderers?"

"That's what I'm here for."

"This could get messy," Shinichi warned. "And dangerous. It'd probably be better to tell the authorities and let them handle it."

Heiji scoffed. "Kudo, there's a reason I'm a detective. It's so _I _can solve cases, not leave it to some morons who can't even walk and chew gum at the same time."

Shinichi chuckled. "But your father is a police chief."

Heiji grinned. "Exactly."

Shinichi laughed despite the seriousness of the conversation, and his respect for the other man grew. "Okay, point taken."

"Now… I'm interested in what you've found out. I know you haven't just been sitting around acting like the perfect patient in recovery. I know you've figured out _something._"

"You're right, I have. But I made a promise to someone that I would keep it between the two of us." Heiji looked vastly disappointed. "Until I talk to them, I can't confide in anyone else. I'm a detective, Hattori. I'm not supposed to be all that trusting."

"Let me guess: this person you're talking about: it's the Psiren, right?"

Shinichi's eyes widened. "Why would you say that?"

Heiji shrugged, grinning like a Cheshire cat. "I guessed. But by the look on your face, I guessed right, didn't I?" Shinichi looked baffled. "Who else could it possibly be? You said yourself you're not very trusting. You haven't been in contact with the police since your accident, and your dad just got here yesterday, and I doubt he would be talking about the Psiren considering the nature of his visit. And you said you only stopped blaming Psiren recently. I'm thinking that considering the way you were involved, there'd be very little that could convince you otherwise. Besides -" He leaned forward and lowered his voice. "I know because Psiren met with me, too."

"_WHAT?!"_

"Geez, Kudo, can't you take a hint? I'm whispering for a reason."

"How else do you expect me to respond, when you say something like _that_?!"

"What you're supposed to say is: really, is that so? Well, Hattori-san, I'd be delighted if you would tell me about it."

"Hattori, humor me."

"All right, all right. So it was yesterday night, right? I had just checked into a hotel, and a friend of mine decided she was going to stay with me. We go upstairs to the room, and then she leaves back out to get ice. But then she comes back less than a minute later telling me to help her look for a container to put the ice in. While I'm looking, she comes up behind me and wraps her arms around my neck." Heiji blushed as he said this. "Next thing I know, there's a gun at my head, and her voice completely changes and she's saying she's the Psiren. I didn't want to believe her until she lifts up her hand and it's got my wallet and my shoelaces in it."

Shinichi leaned back. "Your shoelaces, huh?" In his mind's eye, he saw the grinning visage of a certain college student he'd met recently.

"…Anyway, so somehow, after she convinces me that she's the Psiren, she gets me to sit down and talk with her. Of course the first thing I wanna do is turn her in, but I kind of get cornered…"

"_You want to see your pretty friend again, don't you?" Psiren folded her arms and looked at Heiji with half-lidded eyes. "Despite what the media thinks about me, I'm not a killer, but I'm sure Toyama-san is quite uncomfortable without any clothes on." She pulled at Kazuha's pink blouse and grinned. _

Heiji scowled. Apparently he was not too fond of being manipulated. "So she told me everything: about meeting with you, about the organization that's after her, how none of this craziness is really her fault… blah, blah, blah. You know all the details."

"But…why? What's she after, telling you about who - and what - she is? What does she get by doing that? And what do _you_ get by helping us?"

Heiji's mouth formed a grim line. "This is some crazy stuff going on, Kudo… I knew some of those cops personally…" Shinichi averted his eyes by the intensity of that stare. "Look, I don't trust her. I don't trust you much either. That's just the way it is. But catching criminals is my job, and up till now I have a perfect record, one that I don't intend to break. If someone is killing people off, they need to be caught. We can worry about turning Psiren in _after_ this is all said and done, alright?"

Shinichi shrugged. "Just sounds risky, is all I'm saying."

"So? What's yer point?" Heiji grinned. "Risky business is what I live for."

XXXXXX

**A/N: **Hello all! Please forgive me for the Heiji/Kazuha scenes; I'm not very comfortable with writing them. It'll probably get better with time, though, so bear with me. The next chapter is almost finished and is in the editing stages. It'll probably be up in a few weeks, give or take.

Secondly, _wow_… everyone was just torn apart by Conan's death! I didn't want it to happen, either, of course. …Poor Conan-kun. And I'm not making it any better, am I? It seems that I just keep piling on more angst with each chapter. sniffle I can't just go poof and make Conan alive again; after all, he is literally dead and buried (wow, that sounded really insensitive, didn't it?), but I _can _give you all a glimpse of Conan in the form of vignettes. And so, it is with great pleasure that I announce the addition of a Conan Omake at the end of each chapter.

Next time, on **Don't Play by the Rules: **What was it really like, sailing off that rooftop in France for that first time? As she pulled the trigger and ended the life of yet another victim, did she feel any remorse at all? And, when she looked into the cool blue eyes of her partner in crime, what was going through her mind? Eighteen years ago, a deserted child desperately searched for a place to call home. And she found one, in the most unlikely of places.

Omake: 

Arriving

Yusaku lead a ten year old Shinichi into the hospital room, motioning for him to be quiet. Yukiko was resting with her eyes closed, but they fluttered open once she heard the door to her room click closed. "Shin-chan," she said warmly, smiling her thousand watt smile. "Come here, sweetie. Look at your new baby brother."

Shinichi's stomach coiled in anticipation as he walked over to his mother's side. So she had had a boy, after all. Yukiko scooted over so Shinichi could snuggle close to her on the bed, and then she peeled back the thick blue cotton blanket that encased her newborn baby. Shinichi had a look of pure bewilderment as he looked at it. The skin was pale and almost transparent; the purple veins just underneath the surface forming complicated networks over the baby's face and hands. Shinichi scrunched up his nose. "Looks like a beet-faced piglet."

"_Shinichi…_!" Yukiko scolded, though she laughed. "I guess he does look a little… different, doesn't he? But you looked like that when you were born, too. It takes a little while for babies to develop after birth."

The baby opened his eyes, watching Shinichi through tiny slits. His eyes were light brown, just like Yukiko's. And even though Shinichi could have much easily compared him to an alien than a human baby, after a few minutes of steady perusal he could make out the different features that the boy had inherited from both parents. The cute button nose and the eyes were from Yukiko. The roundish face and the dimples he received from Yusaku.

"Does he have a name yet?" Shinichi asked quietly. His brother looked so delicate… he almost felt that he would break the poor thing if he spoke too loud.

"Actually, no. Me and your mother have been arguing back and forth about it for hours, but we haven't settled on anything."

"Do you want to hold him, Shinichi?" Yukiko offered her son the small bundle, smiling gently at her two children. After deliberating for a moment, Shinichi nodded and held his hands out, startled by the lightness of the bundle when it was placed in his care. His brother looked up at him sleepily, making soft cooing noises as Shinichi rocked him in his arms. Suddenly he felt very protective of his new baby brother. He was so small and light and helpless… who else would look after him, if he wouldn't?

Shinichi looked imploringly at his mother and father. "Can I name him?" Yusaku and Yukiko shared a surprised gaze before they nodded. "I think… I want to name him Conan."

"Conan?" Yusaku's lips twitched. "You mean, as in Sir Arthur Conan Doyle?"

"Yeah." He stroked a finger lightly over the baby's skin, surprised at how soft and warm it was. "Conan Doyle is my favorite author, and he makes the Sherlock Holmes stories. If you name him Conan, he'll grow up to be smart. It's a good name." Shinichi looked to his parents for approval. "…Right?"

"Well," Yusaku smirked, ruffling Shinichi's smooth brown locks. "Then Conan Kudo it is."

Shinichi nodded, a tender smile spreading on his face as he gazed at Conan. Though he hated to admit it, being an only child could get really lonely. He might not have been keen on the idea of having a new brother or sister before, but now Shinichi contemplated all the things he could teach him: how to kick a soccer ball, how to do trigonometric equations, how to tell how far rigor mortis had set in…

"Welcome to the family," Shinichi whispered. "Conan."


	11. A Psiren's Song: Watching Your Liquor

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Detective Conan.

**Warnings: **Excessive potty mouths and graphic violence ensues.

Dialogue in **bold** is French. I almost used an online translator. _Almost._ But I didn't want to subject you to that horrendousness, in case there actually is someone out there who speaks French fluently. This whole chapter is a series of flashbacks, as will be made obvious soon enough.

--

_Kaito didn't dwell on the past much. It created thoughts and actions in him that were quite counterproductive, and they never really accomplished anything except for making him want to run screaming off a steep cliff. His past was one of continuous grief and suffering, although the occasional glimmer of hope and happiness did shine through. However, those happy times were impossible to duplicate now, and recollecting them often pushed Kaito back into unrepentant depression. Even so, sometimes – usually at Aoko's request - he allowed memories to creep up on him; never complete and usually not all that pleasant, but part of him all the same…_

**Don't Play by the Rules**

Chapter Ten: A Psiren's Song

Part One: Watching Your Liquor

"Kaito, _stop_ it."

"What? I didn't do anything."

Kaito grinned, reclining in his seat as Eri stared at him with irritated eyes. "Kaito," She said again, raising her voice an octave. "Change it back."

"What do you mean? It looks as lovely as always."

"It's _purple_!!"

Kaito shrugged. "It matches your eyes."

"_Kaito_!" The young man turned his head to see a gun pointed at his temple. His complexion paled and his heart raced as Eri stared down the barrel of her gun at him. She grinned. "Change my hair back to its original color, _please_," she drawled, her voice sugary sap sweet. "If it's not too much trouble."

Kaito swallowed. "No," he squeaked. "No problem." He snapped his fingers, and with a 'pop!' Eri's hair returned to its natural deep brown color.

"Thank you," Eri chirped, lowering her gun and slipping it back into its holster. She pulled down the visor and gazed at herself in the mirror as she played with her hair. Kaito watched her in silent awe.

"You," he murmured, "are cruel."

Eri shrugged. "The job requires it."

"You are an evil, evil person, and I am scared for my life. You probably instill fear into small children and puppies."

Eri did not turn to meet his bewildered gaze, though she watched his comical expression in the corner of her eye. "I _did_ ask nicely."

"You pointed a gun at me!" He shouted indignantly. "You were going to shoot me because I messed with your hair a little."

Eri chuckled. "_Relax._" She patted her gun affectionately. "It's not even loaded, genius." Kaito gaped at her, causing Eri to laugh outright. "Honestly, Kaito! You actually thought I was going to kill you? Come on, we're partners. We're stuck together for the rest of our lives."

Kaito pouted. "I still think you're evil."

Eri giggled, and then a silence passed between them. Eri drummed her fingers against the steering wheel as Kaito stared out the window. They were supposed to be on a stakeout, but long hours sitting in the sun had fried their concentration. They were only stooges, anyway – whatever they were watching out for, it couldn't be too important.

"So," Kaito said finally, turning to face his partner. "What's your surname?"

Eri raised her eyebrows. "What an odd, random question. Why do you want to know?"

Kaito shrugged. "We've been partners for a few days now, but we don't know anything about each other. I just figured that since we're supposed to be together all the time, we should be more comfortable and learn a thing or two."

"What's the point? We could both be dead tomorrow, anyway."

Kaito flinched. "Ah… a little pessimistic, don't you think?"

"But realistic, all the same."

Kaito couldn't come up with a good response to that, so he kept his mouth shut, and Eri seemed content to let the subject drop. Kaito, however, was not. He cleared his throat and tried again. "Hi, my name is Kaito Kuroba." Eri watched him wearily as he extended his hand to her. "I'm nineteen years old, and I lived in Shibuya before coming here. My hobbies include magic tricks, pretty girls, and, well, more magic tricks I guess. I have a phobia for fish. Yes, fish, stop laughing. I love my mom dearly, even though I haven't seen nor talked to her in three years. I have no siblings. My favorite animals are doves."

Eri stared at his proffered hand, but did not hurry to take it. This man was an oddity to her, yet Kaito's radiant smile did not falter, and it was extremely contagious. Finally gave in to the impulse and laughed, grabbing the man's hand in a firm handshake. "Nice to meet you, Kaito Kuroba-kun," she replied, eyes dancing with mirth. "You're not really going to make me say it, too…? Oh, fine. My name is Eri Kisaki. I'm also nineteen years old. Uh… my favorite food is sushi, I guess. My hobbies? Well, I like to read, and I like to run. I was on the track team in high school. And my favorite animals are any kind of cat."

Kaito nodded in approval. "And the reason why you're here is because…?"

"What is this, Alcoholics Anonymous?" Eri sighed. "I joined the organization because…" her eyes went downcast. "Well, I was lost, I guess. My father abandoned my mom and me. Times were hard, and we were poor. I had to put on a brave front at school, but I never felt like I belonged. I only had like, two real friends. Anyway, once it was time to graduate, I told my mom I'd gotten a scholarship to a college in England, and then I left home. She was so proud, but really I was just slumming a city or two away." Eri ran her fingers through her hair. "Then Gin found me. Actually, I found him. I was hiding in an alley, because I had stolen some food – yeah, I was that desperate… he had a guy cornered against a wall. He said something and then shot the guy. I was scared outta my mind. I tried to stay quiet, but I hit a trashcan by accident. He turned on me next…"

_Gin whirled on her, gun aimed at her head. "What're ya doin' here, kid? This ain't no place for little girls."_

"_Please," Eri whispered, trembling. "Don't shoot me! I'll do whatever you want! Anything! Just don't kill me, please!"_

"_Sorry," Gin replied, his finger on the trigger. "But I don't compromise." He stepped forward, reached for her. Eri narrowed her eyes and got into a shaky fighting stance, catching Gin by surprise. Her eyes had a steely glint in them under the sheen of her tears._

"_Maybe you'll kill me," she said softly, already resigned to death. "But I won't go down without a fight. I'll… I'll fight even if there's no chance I'll win. If you kill me, at least I can give you a black eye first."_

"Gin was surprised," Eri said, smiling at the memory. "No one, let alone a woman, had stood up to him before. So he decided to let me live. He offered to bring me into the organization in exchange for sparing my life, and I accepted." She shrugged. "I didn't have anything left to go back to."

Once again, Kaito was in awe. "Eri…"

Eri wrinkled her nose. "Ugh. Don't pity me, please. I can't even believe I just told you that. I've never told _anyone_ that."

Kaito shrugged. "If it makes you feel any better, my life hasn't been all that peachy, either."

Eri turned to him. "How so?"

"Well, my family's in the less than legal business. Black Organization runs in my family."

"Really?"

"Yeah, my dad wasn't at the top tier, but he was around the middle as far as rankings go."

Eri got a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach. "'Was?'"

Kaito frowned and rubbed his forearm anxiously. "He died, a couple years back. Deal gone bad; you know how it is."

Eri furrowed her eyebrows. "So… after what happened to your father, why would you join as well?"

Kaito narrowed his eyes. "Can you keep a secret?" Eri nodded. "...I know the guy who did it. His codename is Calvados. He was jealous of Dad; how fast he was climbing the ranks, so he killed him off."

Eri's eyebrows shot up. "So you want revenge?" Kaito nodded. "Wow, very... devious, of you."

"Well, Dad always thought I would join the organization anyway, even though he didn't want me to. I figured, since I'm already here, why not torture a surly old guy? Nothing better to do."

Eri frowned, thoughtful. "But... why didn't your dad want you here? Sounds quite hypocritical, in my opinion."

"Because," Kaito said matter-of-factly, smiling his secret smile. "He didn't want me to turn out like him."

--

"...Remember, this is serious business. Every day you go on a job, you put your life at danger. If needed, you will be expected to kill without remorse or hesitation. Regardless of your specific job, this is a must. Anyone who can't handle that is worthless to us, you understand?!" Hard grey eyes observed each fresh face in turn, and there were no objections. "Good. Morals have no place here in the Organization. You want to pray? Want to beg God for forgiveness for your sins? _Fuck_ that. With everything I'm going to make you all do, even Satan will be brought to his knees! You-!" She pointed at a young man at the end of the line; a pale, shaking mess who appeared to be on the verge of wetting his pants. "Take this," she threw him her gun, which he caught milliseconds before it hit the ground. "-And kill him-" The woman pointed a long finger at a short, dark man, apparently Mongolian in descent.

"Me?" The Mongol squeaked. "Oh, god, p-please don't kill me! I didn't do anything!"

The pale boy holding the gun poised his finger over the trigger, but seemed reluctant to actually pull it. "I'm sorry." He closed his eyes and lowered the gun. "I can't do it… we're frien-" With a loud bang, a bullet sliced through the man's skull, and he fell to the ground, dead. The Black Organization member stood over his body with a gun smoking in her hand. Blood and gore splattered her arms and face, but she didn't notice. The Mongolian man screamed and ran, but two shots, and he too fell to the ground. A last breath gurgled from his throat before he died. His spilled blood settled in a pool around him. Eri and Kaito looked at each other with wide, disbelieving eyes.

"_Holy shit,"_ Kaito mouthed, and Eri silently agreed.

"This is how it is!" The woman bellowed. "No sympathy! No loyalty! NO exceptions!" She pointed down at the splattered remains of the man's skull, an example to the surviving trainees on what _not_ to be, and continued: "You think you're friends with your partner? Bullshit! There is no such thing as friends or allies. You work together only to get the job done, and if that job requires you to slit your partner's throat, then so be it!" She narrowed her eyes and pursed her lips. "You all have been placed under my jurisdiction, and I will not be made a fool by the likes of you. I will not tolerate soft little bitches that cannot follow orders. My name is Pisco, and for the next few weeks I will make your life a living hell."

With a flourish, Kaito bowed. "Good day, Pisco." He produced a rose out of thin air. "Nice to meet you."

Eri jabbed him in the gut. "Stop it!" She hissed. "Are you trying to get us both _killed_?!"

"You two." Eri jumped, though Kaito remained nonchalant. Pisco strode across the floor, the room echoing with the rhythmic click of her heels, until she stood directly in front of them. "You're quite the charmer, aren't you, scum?" Pisco snatched the rose from Kaito and broke the stem in half. "What's your name, kid?"

"Kaito. Kaito Kuroba." This seemed to impress Pisco.

"Ah... you're the Chianti's kid, eh? Now that I look at you good, you look just like him." She shoved a sheathed knife into his hands. "Take this knife and aim at the target across the room. Aim for the bull's eye."

Kaito stepped forward and unsheathed the knife. Its blade was clean and sharp as glass. He took a deep breath, and with a wink thrown over his shoulder at Eri, Kaito threw the weapon across the room, where it dug deep into the wall. The hilt stuck out right in the middle of the center target. For the first time during the training, Pisco grinned. "Well, well, well. We have us a natural here. Maybe we'll be able to get some use out of you after all, scum. I couldn't expect any less from the son of Chianti." Kaito tensed at the mention of Toichi, but Pisco didn't seem to notice. She turned to Eri. "Your turn, scum number two." Pisco handed Eri her gun. "Shoot me in the chest."

Eri's eyes widened slightly. She looked to Kaito for guidance, but his face was blank. Swallowing, Eri took the gun and aimed. It clicked as it cocked. Her body was taut and her movements shaky, and with her heart racing, Eri pulled the trigger.

Nothing happened.

Pisco laughed. "You little bitch! You were actually going to kill me!" Her laughter filled the room. "Good thing I emptied the clip into that sorry ass corpse over the." She pulled the gun from Eri's frozen fingers and snickered at the woman's dumbfounded expression. "Good job, scum. You've proven that you've got what it takes. For now." She turned to address the others. "We're done for today. Relax now, and for those who haven't been killed yet – fuckin' grow a pair!" Pisco strode away and through the room's open doors. Once she was gone and the trainees dispersed, Eri fell to her knees, trembling. Kaito was soon at her side, a hand on her shoulder.

"Hey," he said. "Eri?"

The air was saturated with the metallic smell of blood. Bits of pinkish red gore lay only a few feet away. The loud crack of a firing gun still echoed in her ears.

"Hey," Kaito whispered, shaking her. "Eri?" He crouched down in front of her, his eyes soft. "Eri-chan, snap out of it. If one of the operatives sees you like this, they might expel you…"

At that, Eri came alive. "You mean that didn't bother you?" His eyes were narrowed; angry, and full of tears. "You just saw a guy's head blown to bits!! And you can act like it never happened?!"

Kaito frowned. "Of course it bothers me. It's _supposed_ to bother me. But I can't show it, and neither can you. Not here, not now."

"But how can you act so calm?! How can you even pretend?" She clutched her stomach and shut her eyes. "I feel like I need to puke."

Kaito tilted her chin up. "I'm going to teach you something my dad taught me." He pulled them both to their feet, and with his arm wrapped affectionately around Eri's waist, led her away from the sight and smell of carnage. "It's called Poker Face."

"P-Poker Face?"

"Yeah, it's just what it sounds like. When you're playing a game of poker, an expression of indifference is key. If you look too excited or angry or sad, you'll give yourself away. The other players will take advantage of your emotions, and you'll lose. But, if you don't convey anything, if you look like a perfectly blank slate, you catch people off guard. You worry them. They get nervous, and they make stupid mistakes. Even if you have the most craptastic hand in the world, you can win simply because of your ability to deceive. _That_ is the beauty of Poker Face. Eri looked up at him. "The same thing works in the real world, too. Don't let _anyone_ see your emotions, especially in our world. If you show the wrong emotions to the wrong people here, you'll get yourself killed. That's the way it goes."

"But… that's unhealthy! If you lock everything up inside, the stress alone will kill you!"

Kaito blinked. He'd never thought of that. "Well… then I'll be your one and only confidant. And you'll be mine. So, after all day bottling things up, you come to me, and we'll talk about it. I got your back, all right? Regardless of what crazy Pisco says, loyalty is the most important thing. But you have to promise that you'll start practicing your Poker Face."

Eri nodded. "I'll try."

"Nope! You can't say you'll _try_, Eri-chan. When you say that, you're really saying, 'I'll do my best, but I'm open to the notion that I might fail.' Failing is not an option, Eri. People who fail, die. I want us both to be alive twenty years from now, married with a bunch of babies." He put his hands on her shoulders, giving her a shake. "I want to be an uncle, Eri! Make me an uncle."

Eri laughed. "What are you talking about? I just met you, and now I'm making you the uncle of my unborn children?"

"Yes! Now promise me."

"Okay," she said softly, and to her the world seemed just the slightest bit brighter. "I promise."

--

"Now, kill him."

Eri stood in front of the cowering man, his face covered with sweat and staring up at her with big eyes. He probably had a wife, Eri thought. Kids, maybe a dog. He probably had dozens of people who loved him, even though he had been involved in shady business deals that targeted low income families. He threw people out of their homes and then resold them at outrageous prices. She was doing the world a favor by getting rid of him. So why did she still feel so self-conscious? Eri attached a silencer to her gun and pointed the elongated weapon at the businessman's head. He got down on his knees and started praying.

"God can't save you now," she mumbled, and she pulled the trigger. The gun jerked once, and then the man in the expensive business suit lay dead. An operative rushed over to check his vitals and condition, and once satisfied with the results gave Eri the thumbs up.

"Nice job, scum number two," Pisco said, stepping up to her. "Very, very nice. So impersonal, quick, and efficient." She listed off all of Eri's exceptional qualities. "A master of seduction, skillful gunman, amazing intelligence, skill, and cunning… brilliant." Pisco turned to the man next to Eri. "And here we have scum number one, Kaito Kuroba. He also does work quickly and efficiently, and a brilliant logics expert and a cunning trickster. Talented swordsman, deadly assassin, and cute to boot." Pisco grinned. "Let us not forget Yuya and Sai. Yuya is beautiful, but cold. Her knowledge of swords and knives is one to be envied." Pisco smiled at the woman, whose slanted green eyes watched her adoringly. "And Sai-" The redheaded man nodded in acknowledgement. "My god, what isn't great about this kid? He's so grimy, I bet he would sell his own mother for a candy bar. Probably would give her up for free." Pisco stood back, admired her charges. "I must say, the four of you look stunning in black. You have proven yourselves more than worthy to join our ranks. Of the twenty that entered training, only you four remain, and you have every right to be standing before me right now. I have taught and disciplined you to the best of my abilities. Now, there is only one thing… the creation of your new identities."

"…From this point on, Kaito, Eri, Yuya and Sai no longer exist. Before me now are the newly initiated Black Organization members: Bourbon, Margarita, Rum, and Kir. You are all dismissed."

Kaito patted Sai on the back and gave a kiss to Yuya's cheek on his way over to Eri. She stood still as stone, her eyes glazed as she stared at the body of the man she'd just killed. Kaito shook her gently, fearing for the worse.

"Margarita-chan," he called softly. "Ready to go?"

Eri blinked her thoughts away, whatever they might've been, and grinned. Kaito had to make sure to ask her about it later. "Yes, Bourbon-kun. I was born ready."

--

Two years.

It is twelve months, or 730 days. It passed them in the blink of an eye. In two years, two nineteen year olds turned twenty-one. In two years, two naïve, barely legal teenagers became experienced beyond their years.

"I have a job fer you two," Gin said one day, puffing on a cigar. "We've got enough assassins to wipe out the whole east and west coasts, but we're runnin' low on funds. We're in need of other skills now, and I figure you two are perfect fer the job."

"Skills?" Eri looked up from filing her nails. "What skills?"

"The stealin' kind, and don't interrupt me again. We've set up the perfect scheme. All you two have to do is come up with a cover. Jewels, paintin's, or cold hard cash… I don't give a shit, as long as we can turn it into green. With this setup, you'll go around stealin' as much as you can, but you won't report back until call for you specifically. When we don't need yer accumulated funds, jus' lay low. Go out and have a fuckin' shoppin' spree fer all I care, but when we do call you back, you'd better have all the money we ask for. Understood?"

"Yes, sir," they replied simultaneously, and with an offhand gesture Gin dismissed them.

"Disguises, huh?" Kaito walked with his arm behind his head, grinning. "Ooh… just my specialty."

Eri glanced at him through the corner of her eye. She opened her mouth to say something, but the words died in her throat. Kaito looked… different. His hair was still unruly as ever, but for some reason Eri liked it now. It suited him. His blue eyes gazed at the ceiling, and he was grinning a mile a minute. But Eri knew how quickly his animated, friendly demeanor could change; she'd seen it herself, during all their missions together. She'd seen his body go taut, making him appear bigger and stronger that he really was. The happy-go-lucky grin vanishes from his face, and his eyes become cold and calculating. Eri had seen how good he was with a sword… any kind of blade, really. He was the perfect assassin.

He was the one no one would expect.

"Eri? Yoo-hoo!" Kaito waved his hand in front of Eri's face, and she blinked. "What's going on in there? You haven't said a word in five minutes, and I've been calling you." Kaito's black turtleneck hugged his frame , hinting at the rock hard muscles underneath. His sleeves were pulled up, showcasing his impressive biceps. When had he gotten so _buff_? The last time she had looked, he was a scrawny nineteen year old boy. When had he become a man? When did Eri stop seeing him for what he was, and start seeing him for what she wanted him to be? "Eri? You're doing it again."

"Oh. Sorry. Just thinking about the mission."

"Uh-huh. _Sure_ you were. Come on, admit it, you were checking me out."

Eri blushed tomato red. "Shut up! I was doing no such thing!"

Kaito grinned as he leaned in closer to her. "Then, why are you blushing?"

"Because I'm amazed at your stupidity!"

"Really? 'Cause I'm thinking your inner dialogue goes something like this…" He cleared his throat. "'Oh my god, Kaito is _so_ dreamy.'" Eri's mouth twitched in irritation. He had changed his voice to a carbon copy of Eri's low, husky, tone. "'Last time I looked at him, he was _sooo_ skinny. When did he get so hot?'"

Eri elbowed him in the gut, but Kaito, with his rock hard stomach, was not fazed. "Stop it! Why would I fall for an immature idiot like you?!"

Kaito shrugged. "Beats me." He snapped his fingers, and a small wisp of grey smoke produced a seed in his palm. He held it out to her. "Love is a strange thing, Eri-chan. Sometimes it grows fast and dies quickly, and sometimes it blooms slowly and lasts forever. But however it works…" He poised his free hand directly over the palm holding the seed, and slowly raised it up; the seed's shell split and a tiny stem poked out. Under Kaito's command, it winded upward with tiny leaves appearing at odd intervals. Eri gasped. A small purple flower bloomed, wobbly but perfect nonetheless. "…When love happens, it's always magic." Kaito offered Eri the flower, and she took it deliberately. "Come on, Eri-chan. Let's get to work on our disguises." She trailed behind him as they walked, holding the delicate magical flower against her chest.

--

"Here," Kaito threw her the garment. "Try this on."

Eri inspected her costume. It was hardly there! It was a long crimson red gown, with glittering sequins. The neckline plunged far past what was considered right and proper, and it lacked sleeves. Eri actually thought it was cute, but common decency made her ask, "Kaito? What is _this_?"

"What does it look like?" He turned to grin at her. "It's your new costume. Welcome aboard, 'assistant'."

"What are you talking about?"

"Gin said we needed disguises – a cover. So, I made one. I am the great magician Kaito Kid-" Eri gagged. "-and you are my lovely assistant, Eri Kisaki, guinea pig for all my new tricks."

"I am _not_ going to demean myself by being your slutty assistant."

"Ah, but you didn't let me finish." Kaito held up a second garment wrapped in transparent plastic. Eri frowned at the skimpy little thing. "My lovely assistant is your day job. This is your night job."

Eri eyes the powder white outfit, made of leather pants and a cotton halter top. Just like the last, this outfit had a plunging neckline and showed off a great deal of stomach. "What am I," she mumbled indignantly, "a prostitute?"

Kaito busted out laughing. "No, no, _god_ no." He observed his own creation with raised eyebrows. "It's not _that_ bad, is it? …No, I don't think so." Kaito smiled at her. "You're _much_ classier than a prostitute." He heard her mumble something like 'not much', but Kaito ignored her. "You're a thief."

Eri wrinkled her nose. "You mean like Arsene Lupin or something?"

"Yeah, exactly. I made you cool gadgets and everything."

Eri looked exasperated. "Kaito, I've been trained to shoot a gun and kill people using twelve different pressure points, not run around in tight leather and seduce valuables away from pompous millionaires."

"But Pisco trained you in the art of seduction, right?"

Eri shuddered at the memory. "Yeah, I guess."

"So, it should be a piece of cake. You have to keep your identity a secret, though. You can't go from slutty assistant by day to thieving prostitute by night without people figuring it out."

"HEY!"

Kaito chuckled. "Hey, what? Your words, not mine. Here-" He threw her the bag containing her costume. "Try it on. I think I got the measurements right but I'm not sure." Reluctantly, Eri pulled her coal black turtleneck over her head. The cold air kissed her bare skin, and she shivered. Kaito glimpsed the red lace of her bra before he turned his back to give her privacy. Eri shimmied out of her jeans and with a quick look of disdain, pulled on the leather pants. It was a tight fit, but the top fit her perfectly. Together, they hugged all the right curves and hid all the right flaws. Despite herself, Eri smiled. She then reached into the bag and pulled out matching gloves and an eye mask. Slipping them on, Eri waltzed over to Kaito and tapped him on the shoulder.

"So?" She asked, twirling around to give him a better look. "How do I look?"

Kaito's eyes quickly trailed up and down her form, and then he looked into her eyes and grinned. "You look great. I am a genius."

"I don't know, though…" Eri rubbed her arms self-consciously. "This still seems like a pretty moronic idea."

"Don't worry," Kaito assured her, turning around to face his desk. "Everything will go fine." When he faced her again, his eyes were covered by a similar white mask. "Besides, I'll be there with you every step of the way."

--

"Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls! Please welcome for the very last time, the great magician 'Kaito Kid' and his very lovely assistant, Eri Kisaki!"

The roar of applause and insistent cheers got her knees shaking and her palms sweaty. Killing and robbing, she could handle. But this? This was madness. "Kaito," Eri hissed, and she grabbed for his hand in the dark just as the large velvet curtains began to rise. Kaito's hand slipped comfortably into hers, and he gave her a light squeeze. "If this ends badly, I'll kill you."

Kaito laughed. "Don't worry," he soothed, eyes mischievous. "If this ends badly, the audience will do that for you." The insanely bright lights blared in their faces. An echoing buzz announced the activation of their microphones.

"Bonjour, amis!" Kaito roared happily. Eri watched him in awe. How had she known him all this time and not known that he spoke fluent French? Of course, performing in Paris required some knowledge of the language, but Kaito imitated the accent perfectly. As always, he never did anything half way. "_**Are you ready for an exciting show? Watch and be amazed!**_" He poised what Eri knew to be a smoke bomb over his head and slammed it into the floor. The stage vanished in a cloud of blue smoke and the air was filled with the audience's expectant gasps. As the plume cleared, it revealed Kaito in an exquisite white suit, a blue cotton shirt with a red tie, and a white top hat. Eri looked down at her evening gown, which had changed from red to blue. The audience oohed and aahed and clapped. Kaito took a deep bow, grinning a mile a minute. _This is a job_, Eri thought. This magician gig was only a cover for the shady deals they would be doing underneath. But Kaito seemed to be enjoying this way too much. Eri had to laugh while looking at him. She much preferred him doing this than what they were accustomed to, anyway. Her cheeks flushed in excitement as she stood beside her partner, feeling like she could take on the world.

"_**You think that's amazing? You ain't seen nothing yet**_!"

--

Eri looked down at the jewelry case. She pulled out her glass cutter and cut in a wide arch until the line met itself in a circle. She attached a suction cup to it and pulled. The glass slid out with only a soft screeching sound.

"Margarita." Kaito's cool voice, disguised as her own, came in over the radio. "The fish is in the net. Meet me at the peak in 15 minutes."

Eri nodded. "Roger. But Bourbon… why do you insist on talking in code?" Slender and careful fingers reached into the display case and pulled the large diamond from it. Eri wrapped the gem in a handkerchief and dropped it into the bag hanging around her waist. "No one is around but us."

"There may be security cameras with audio as well as visual. We don't want the risk if the things are still running after we disabled the picture."

She sighed. "Sure, sure." Eri made it back up to the skylight with relative ease. Her movements were the slightest bit wobbly as she walked in her three-inch high heeled shoes, however. Ugh. She hated Kaito for designing these things! They were so impractical, it infuriated her. He was definitely thinking like a chauvinistic, perverted man when he came up with this brilliant idea. Use her body to come out on top. Hmph. It went against everything she stood for! Eri flinched at that train of thought. _So was murder…_

"Damn shoes," She barked, blaming them for her rapidly declining mood.

"…What was that, Margarita?"

Eri's lips twitched. "Nothing, nothing!"

She walked slowly and with caution, but a thin grid of invisible lasers level with her feet had completely escaped both her and Kaito's prior scoutings of the sight. Eri walked right into them. She jumped and her heart sped up at the resulting blaring, ear-splitting alarm.

"_Shit!"_ Eri looked around in desperation, her heart pounding. "_Bourbon_!"

"I'm on my way. Margarita, get out of there!"

Margarita broke out into a run, her bag and the prize within it banging against her hip in time with her strides. Traffic in downtown Paris would be hectic, as many citizens were still leaving the stadium where Eri and Kaito had performed less than an hour before. The police wouldn't be hasty in getting there, but Eri wasn't willing to take unnecessary risks. The corridor flashed bright red and the shrieking signal continued. Eri's ears took the beating until she went momentarily deaf, and then sound reached her as dull noise, as if her ear canals were stuffed with cotton. _'This isn't the best way to end your first heist, Eri… ah, shit…!!'_

Her eyes widened as the entrance to the hall – and the easiest way out – was slowly being closed off by a stainless steel gate retracting from the ceiling. Time was running out. At the last possible moment, Eri dropped to her stomach and slid across the tile floor and through the opening mere seconds before the gate hit ground. It made a metallic clang as it set in place and locked. No going back now.

"Margarita," Kaito shouted over static and police sirens in the background. "Change of plans. I'll meet you on the Emerald hotel's roof." Eri shouted her affirmative, gasping as her throat went dry from exhaustion. She reached her partner twenty minutes later. Eri threw her head back and sighed in pleasure as the gentle breeze brushed her face. Kaito sat on the equipment shed's roof, his feet dangling off the side. He turned to Eri as she came up the staircase and lifted his hand in greeting.

"Did you get it?" Eri panted out. Kaito said nothing; he simply pulled a brilliant diamond studded, golden necklace from his knapsack and grinned.

"Sure did. And you?"

Eri nodded. Laughing in relief, she walked over to the man and patted his leg, which was at level with her face. "Close call, but we did it, Bourbon! Our first successful heist!" Kaito curled his crimson red lips up in a triumphant grin. Looking into his violet blue eyes – exactly like her own – and eyeing the gentle curve of his form, Eri couldn't help but laugh. "This is so weird. I feel like I'm looking into a mirror."

"Get used to it, Mari. I'm going to be imitating you every chance I get." Kaito leered at her as he patted his chest. "I need the experience; for making accurate disguises and all that. So I'll need you to be my… inspiration." Eri snorted and began to tell him where he could shove it when the stairwell doorknob began to jangle. A heavy weight pounded against the wood on the other side in an attempt to open the door. "Ah," Kaito murmured. "Finally, they've arrived."

Eri shook her head. "Took them long enough. I did everything but leave them a trail of breadcrumbs."

"Sad, isn't it? Sometimes I look at the state of the police department and can't help but think… _this_ is what our taxes pay for?!"

Eri and Kaito laughed at their private joke. Finally the door was forced open, splintering the wood and knocking the hinges askew. At the same time, Kaito snapped his fingers and vanished in a whirlwind of sakura blossoms.

_"_**_FREEZE!"_ **

Several men in standard police uniforms surrounded Eri and aimed their guns at her. She cocked her head at them, smiling. _**"Bon jour. Is there a problem, gentlemen?"**_

"_**Put your hands above your head,"**_ one man exclaimed. _**"You are under arrest, thief!"**_

"_**I do not know what you speak of,"**_ Eri responded in feigned puzzlement. _**"I am only here to enjoy the view. What is the meaning of this?"**_

"_**This is private property; no civilians allowed on the roof! Not only are you trespassing, but you have robbed Paris of two of its most prized gems!"**_

"_**You mean… these?"**_ Eri held out the jewelry, sending a collective gasp throughout the crowd. _**"Beautiful, aren't they? You know what they say… diamonds are a girl's best friend. These were so magnificent I couldn't help but take them. You should be honored that they even attracted my attention." **_Eri pouted. _**"And they were a lot of trouble to get, too… pesky security systems. But, I disabled them quick enough. It's just that exerting such effort annoys me."**_

"_**Why you…"**_

One officer raised his weapon to fire, but his superior stopped him at the last moment. "_**Who… are you**_?" Under his command, the officers stood at the ready, but did not attack. "_**How dare you speak so lightly of such things?**_!"

'_All set!' _Kaito chirped in her ear, and Eri flashed her teeth. Her next words were spoken purely on reflex. "_**Remember**_ _**my name well, gentlemen, for you will surely see me again. And next time, you will not even get the chance to corner me like this.**_" She held her head high, her back straight. "_**I am the thief that you may call Siren. I am a beauty that no one can ignore; a sneaky phantom that comes in the night and vanishes with your most precious belongings**_." She held out the diamond, mocking them. "_**This is the beginning of a new legend, gentlemen. Be grateful, for you have just witnessed history in the making**_." She shot a series of razor sharp playing cards at the officers - a distraction - so she could pull out a flash bomb. "Au revoir!" The men and woman shielded their eyes from the light, and when it was safe to look again the mysterious thief clad in white was gone. There was thick silence, and then the air erupted in indignant shrieks and cries of confusion and bewilderment.

Eri connected with Kaito miles away, both laughing and dancing in celebration of their prosperous debut. Eri had shocked and outmaneuvered the authorities for the first of many times, and thanks to a tiny camera pinned to her shirt and Kaito's impressive technical skills, the whole world was there to watch. Without a doubt, millions of viewers across France had just witnessed the coming of a phantom rogue called Siren.

"Oh… and 'Siren', huh?" Kaito grinned ear to ear. It was relieving to see him wearing his own face again. "Where did that come from? We never really discussed a name for you."

Eri giggled. "It just came to me, I guess." Now that she thought about it, the term fit her perfectly – a mysterious creature of seduction and allure, she kept her victims in a false sense of security before snatching their precious possessions from right under their noses. She was dangerous, but the mortals could not help but be drawn in.

"Well, Siren," Kaito drawled, "Congratulations. You are officially a rich guy's worst nightmare."

--

"Kaito? There's something I want to tell you. I'm getting married!"

Kaito spat his soda all over the table. "_What?!_" He blurted. "Since when? Who is it? Wait, when did you even start dating? How come I don't know this guy? And why am I just _now _finding out about it?"

Eri laughed. "Whoa, whoa, Kaito, slow down! I'll tell you everything you need to know as long as you keep quiet until I finish!" Kaito mimed zipping his mouth shut, complete with sound effects. She twirled her fork around in her pasta, blushing. "Well… remember what I told you about me in high school? How I had two very close friends?" Kaito nodded. "Well, he's one of them. Kogoro Mouri. He's the same age as me, twenty-two, and we ran into each other a few months ago, in Tokyo. I admit, he's a pain in the ass sometimes, and we fight a lot, but honestly I've always had a bit of a crush on him…" Eri smiled, her eyes softening. "Anyway, we ended up having dinner together. He asked me if how my studies in England had been going, so I told him some of what's happened."

Kaito narrowed his eyes. "How _much_ of it?"

Eri snorted. "The bare essentials, I assure you. I told him that I graduated with a degree in Pre-Law, but I decided to try a more… unconventional career." She rested her head on her interlaced fingers and smirked. "I told him that me and a friend – that's you, Kaito – decided to go on a magician tour together. So, he knows about you being the Great Kaito Kid and me being your assistant. He was pretty impressed, actually." She chuckled at Kaito's bewildered expression. "We've been dating since that day, and being with him made me realize all the things I've been missing out on, with us always working. I can't imagine going back to the way things were before. So, I proposed. And he said yes." Eri laughed as Kaito gaped.

"You… you can never do things the traditional way, can you?"

Eri gazed him with half-lidded eyes. "The traditional way to do things sucks, Kaito."

Kaito sighed. "…Never mind. Look, I know you're probably crazy in love, and thus very irrational-"

"I am _not_ being irrational."

"-so, let me give you some advice, Eri-chan. This is a _really_ bad idea. I mean, the worse idea ever. And you've had some stinkers in the past…"

Eri's eyes narrowed to slits. "Do you want a sock in the jaw?"

"-but Eri, this is pushing it! You're putting not only our lives, but Kogoro's life at danger. In case you've forgotten, once you're with _them_, you don't have the right to do anything else. Our lives aren't ours to play with anymore, and it's not fair to the guy for you to bring him into a relationship that's doomed from the beginning!" Kaito reached across the table and grabbed Eri's left hand, eyeing the sparkling diamond on her finger. "Aw, damn… he already bought you a ring?"

Eri snatched her hand away. "Yes, and this isn't your problem Kaito. It's mine. I know this is risky, but I don't care. Kogoro is the only thing I can have just for me, and I'm not going to let the opportunity of a lifetime pass me by."

Kaito's expression was grim. "He's not a possession. He's a living, breathing person with feelings. Do you know what this could do to him? When we have to go on jobs for our employers, what will you say? That you're going on an extended vacation, only you can't tell him where? Honestly, Eri!" Eri grimaced, and Kaito groaned. "Eri… when you take those vows and pledge to be honest and faithful, how can you look him in the eye and say 'I do'?" He leaned forward, lowering his voice. "How can you go through your lives together knowing that there's a huge part of your existence you can never tell him? And if you come home from 'work' one day with a bullet wound and three missing teeth, how are you gonna explain it away?"

"I…I haven't thought that far yet," Eri murmured. Kaito opened his mouth to go on an even bigger rant, but she silenced him with a finger against his lips. "I appreciate the concern, Kaito, but I've got it under control. First of all, we're not on call 24/7, remember? Gin only wants us to report when we're low on funds, but we have the rest of the time to ourselves. Our whole scheme depends on us having alibis and disguises, which means we need personas _outside_ of the… company. Second, such personas – aka, Eri Kisaki and Kaito Kuroba – are traveling magicians. My real job and my disguise are practically the same, so my alibi is airtight…"

Kaito massaged his temples. "Eri, that's not the point…"

"Oh? So what _is_ the point, Kaito?"

"Okay, sure, I'll admit it. You _could_ pull this off. You could spend the rest of your life leading a double life. But why would you want to? Won't you feel guilty?" Eri blinked her eyes and looked away, biting her lower lip. "Eri… don't get upset. Look, whatever you do you know I'll always be there, but… this is still a really bad idea."

Eri chuckled, eyebrows raised. "A really, really bad idea?"

Kaito shook his head. "The worst idea _ever._ A sort of bad idea that trumps all your previous bad ideas…"

Eri touched his arm. "Kaito?"

He turned to her. "Hmm?"

She grinned. "_All_ my ideas are bad ideas."

Kaito laughed to keep from crying. "Oh god, yes they are." Eri rose from her chair and walked over to Kaito, sitting on his lap. He wrapped his arms around her waist.

"Kaito," he heard her whisper. "I want you to walk me down the aisle… at our wedding." He regarded her with bewilderment. "I don't have a father – not one that I'll claim, anyway – and both of my grandfathers are dead and gone. It's going to be a small ceremony, anyway… just Kogoro's parents, my mom, and you, I think…"

"But why me?"

Eri smiled. "Because you're the closer thing to family I've ever had. …No, you _are_ my family. You're the one person I've always been able to count on up until now." She poked his nose. "And even though it's been a rough three years, we've always made it through, because we've had each other."

Kaito sniffled, wiping away fake tears. "Stop… you're making me all misty-eyed…"

Eri ignored him. "So? What do you say? Will you do it?"

Kaito chuckled. "Of course. I'd be honored." They sat in a comfortable silence, holding each other as they watched the world pass them by.

"Kaito," Eri murmured, "do you know what could make this whole thing even worse?"

Kaito flinched. "Ah… I really don't think it could get worse than this, Eri-chan."

She looked down at him, grinning impishly. "I'm pregnant."

Kaito's eyes bugged out. "Bwah…?"

Eri smiled dreamily. "See? It could get worse! And you're going to be an uncle after all!" She was overcome by a fit of chuckles.

Kaito sighed, burying his face in Eri's hair. Ah, well. He'd just have to cut his losses.

"So, mom and wife-to-be… let's talk about my new 'uncle' privileges, hmm?"

--

It happened gradually, but soon, Eri had completely lost her drive.

Getting married and having a kid can do that to you, Kaito figured. She had always been a sweet and caring woman on the inside, but up until now she'd been able to push that nature aside for the sake of doing her job. Now, her concentration was shot. At least once every other month, she and Kaito would don the mask and cape in order to pilfer jewels for the Black Organization, looking for Pandora. For that and that alone, Eri was motivated, but for every other little task Gin or Vermouth sent them on… she freaked at the sight of blood, now. She couldn't stand the smell, the taste, the sight. The few assassinations that she was commanded to do, Kaito did in her place. No one ever had to know. Kaito closed his eyes and sighed. No one _could_ know, if he wanted to keep them both alive.

"I can't do this anymore!"

Kaito frowned at her. "Eri, you know what this means, don't you? You can't just _leave_ the organization! You'll be killed!"

"I don't care! I have a husband and a little girl now, Kaito! Every day that I leave the house and lie to them breaks my heart!" She looked down at her hands. "When I first joined twelve years ago… I was lost, and scared. I needed a place to call home. Then Gin found me, and even though I was sure I wouldn't make a month… I survived. I got through it, because I found you, Kaito." Kaito frowned, eyes downcast. "In some strange way, it didn't matter what awful things I had to do as long as I could feel like I belonged. How selfish and clueless I was." She laughed bitterly. "I can't do it anymore. I won't. There's just one thing I'll do, and then I'm done." She gave Kaito a meaningful look. "For good."

The dark implications behind her words were staggering, but Kaito maintained his cool expression. In his head, he was screaming, ready to get down on his knees and beg. _Please don't do it! I don't want to see you die! I love you!_ But he knew none of it would change her mind. She was just as stubborn as he was. "Eri… what is this one thing you need to do?" Eri watched him with wide eyes, shocked that he didn't try to protest her decision. "I know I can't change your mind, so why bother to try? But I'm still your partner, Eri. Your partner, your friend…" His lips twitched. "The godfather of your daughter, Ran." Eri smiled softly back. "If there's anything you need to do, you know I will be there every step of the way." Kaito placed his hand over hers. "If this is the end for you, it's the end for me, too."

Eri smiled, tears in her eyes. "Kaito…" She shook her head. "You're something else, you know that?" She caught his gaze and looked away. "But the thing I need to do is… find Pandora."

Kaito's eyebrows furrowed. "I don't get it. We're looking for that now. What's new about that?"

"No, the goal is the same, but the motive is different." Eri frowned. "I want… to find Pandora. Not for Gin, or Vermouth, or a Boss I've never even seen. I want to find it for me."

"What?"

"Kaito, so many people have died because the Organization wants this damn gem." She clenched her fists. "I can't believe that _they_ believe it can actually grant them immortality, but they do. It's ironic. They're willing to kill so many people… so many innocents have to die, so that a select few can be gods. It sickens me. If I capture this jewel… if I can find it and somehow prevent them from getting it... it'll help me make up for all the trouble I've caused." Eri looked up, her eyes dreamy. "Ran… she's so sweet and optimistic, that nine year old. She looks at me, and the world is in her eyes. She thinks I'm a hero. She thinks it's so cool that I get to travel the world with the famous magician, Kaito Kid." She laughed, clear and sweet as a bell. "I want… I want to be worthy of that girl's smile. And that means I have to burn my bridges, and look to her and my future for redemption. It's risky, but I can do it. For her… and for him."

"Then let me help." Eri cocked her head in confusion. Kaito shrugged in response. "I don't have any family to protect. You are my family now. Even that crazy Kogoro, and of course little Ran-chan. I've got nothing to lose and everything to gain, so… what are we waiting for? We've tackled harder things, right?" Eri nodded her agreement, her expression soft.

"As long as we're together… nothing can stop us. "

--

She was dying. As much as she hated to admit it, there wasn't much time left. She had been _so _close… the Pandora had been almost within her reach… Eri cursed her luck; that right when she had decided to finally do some good, it would all end up like this.

"Goodbye, my love," Eri whispered, following the lines of Kogoro's strong features with her eyes. She coughed, and blood splattered her lips and gurgled in her throat. With the liquid mixture of blood and phlegm blocking her airway, her head was beginning to ache from lack of oxygen. Oh god, the _pain_. "I'm sorry," she mouthed, touching the photo of her family tenderly. Tears leaked from her eyes as her life slowly ebbed away. "I'm _so_ sorry. Kogoro, Ran-chan… I wanted to put the past behind me, but I guess it finally caught up with me in the end." She laughed silently; bitterly. "I love you two so much… I hope I made that clear." Eri closed her eyes, trembling. She… had failed. The only thing she could offer now was the one glimmer of hope that she'd escaped with, and she could only pray that _he_ would understand…

"K-Kaito, I… I couldn't return your feelings, but-"

"_ERI!"_

Eri's eyes snapped open. Kaito stood in the doorway, eyes widened to tremendous proportions, shining with unshed tears. He walked slowly to her side, maneuvering over the fallen equipment by sheer luck alone. Falling to his knees beside her, Kaito allowed himself to cry. "Oh god, Eri…"

She raised a shaking hand to his face, smiling. "Kaito," she rasped, eyes growing dim. "What happened… to your Poker Face?"

Kaito shook his head and closed his eyes, pressing her fingers to his lips. "It doesn't matter. I don't have to hide myself around you. You always could see through it, anyway."

Eri coughed. "Kaito, please… k-keep your promise. And know that I lo-"

The loud grating sound of metal cut her off. Kaito jerked his head up in time to see another stage light snap free from its restraints and fall towards them. "Shit…!"

It was self-preservation more than anything. Kaito dodge rolled to the side and covered his head with his hands as the light hit the ground and exploded into thousands of thin, razor sharp shards. A few fragments of glass pierced his legs and back, and he hissed. Kaito's ears were filled with the deafening shattering and grating noises as yet more equipment assaulted them from above. Finally, the noise died down. Kaito uncurled himself from the fetal position and turned around. The sight that met his eyes made his stomach lurch and bile rise in his throat.

"_**ERI!!"**_

Her body was stiff. The flow of blood had stopped with her heart, and her face was contorted in a silent scream. A large glass shard stood upright from where it had embedded in her chest. Kaito's whole body trembled as he sobbed. "Eri… I'm so sorry… forgive me…" Even as his body and mind threatened to shut down and the last of his control began to break, a voice of logic whispered over and over in his head: _Run. Run __**now.**_

Kaito rose on shaking legs and proceeded backwards out of the room. He pulled out a napkin, closed the door with it. He returned it to the way he had found it – locked from the inside. It wasn't hard to do, with his training. In a daze, Kaito walked out of the warehouse. He got on his bike, didn't bother to put on his helmet. The engine roared to life and Kaito sped away. There was nothing left for him here… there was only one thing he had to do…

--

"_VERMOUTH_!"

She turned, surprised at Kaito's sudden appearance. His face was an impassive mask, but his stiff posture gave him away. "Bourbon, how nice to see you."

Kaito's eyes narrowed a fraction. "Where is he?"

Vermouth smirked and put on an innocent expression, though she had a good idea who he was talking about. "Who?"

"Gin, and Vodka. Where are they?"

Her eyebrows climbed. "Why? Is there something the matter?"

Kaito walked right up to her and looked her in the eye. "Don't bullshit me," he said softly. "You put out the order, didn't you? You ordered them to kill Eri." Vermouth backed away, but Kaito grabbed her wrist, his grip hard. She gasped from the pain, and chaos erupted. Before Kaito could blink an eye, a gun was pointed at him from every possible angle and direction. His fellow organization members had turned on him to save their superior, and in turn, their selves. In the crowd, Kaito could pick out those he had worked with personally: Rum, Kir, the new Chianti. His heart pounded as he noticed another – Calvados. The man was ancient now, but he still had that same murderous glint in his eyes, and was probably the most trigger happy of them all. Kaito sighed. He knew what he had to do.

"I'm next, aren't I," he murmured. "It's only a matter of time before I die."

"Actually," Vermouth said cheerfully, "the Boss told me to spare you. At least until we could interrogate you."

"Interrogate me for what?"

"Margarita was a fool and a traitor," Vermouth continued, and Kaito's grip on her arm tightened. "She dared to try and outwit us and steal the prize we've been searching for. No doubt she worked her voodoo on you, too, but now she's gone. You're outside of her influence now."

"Bullshit," Kaito spat.

Vermouth ignored him. "You are an invaluable asset to the organization, Bourbon. We don't want to eliminate you, but it can come to that. Prove your loyalty to us and you live."

Kaito snorted. "Never. Honestly, Vermouth, my loyalty was never to the organization. My loyalty remains to the memory of my father… and now to my partner."

Vermouth sneered. "Then you die." She gave the signal, and hundreds of guns cocked simultaneously. "Goodbye, Kaito Kuroba. It's been… fun."

"Goodbye, Chris Vineyard. It's been… well, hell, actually." Kaito chuckled without humor. "But before you fill me full of holes, may I have one last request?"

Vermouth narrowed her eyes. "No."

Kaito released her wrist and stepped back. He gestured to the big picture window on the other side of the room. "Can I stand by the window when you kill me? Better to die with a nice view, in my opinion."

"So you can escape? Not a snowball's chance in hell, Kaito."

Kaito shrugged. "Where would I go? My father is dead, my partner is gone. My mom wants nothing to do with me. I have no friends or relatives. To the outside world, it's like I don't even exist." He looked forlorn. "I have nothing left. I might as well be dead. If you don't believe my sincerity, then shoot me in the leg first. Then you'll know for sure that I can't go anywhere."

Vermouth smirked. "I like the way you think." She jerked her head at Rum. "Shoot him."

Kaito fell to his knees with a strangled scream as a bullet pierced his thigh. He hissed out a series of violent curses as the blood seeped through the cloth of his pants. He'd been shot several times before; he was used to the pain to some extent, but that didn't mean it didn't still hurt like hell. Kaito looked up at Rum through eyes squinted by pain, his vision blurred by tears. "What… what happened to that whole 'I love you' spiel you gave me?"

Rum frowned and shrugged. "Things change."

"Crawl, scum," Vermouth hissed. "Crawl like the dog you are."

Kaito limped over to the other side of the room, pressing himself against the window for balance. The muscles in his leg must've been almost completely severed. Just remaining upright required a great deal of energy. He sucked in a breath and looked out at the low sloping hills lush with grass, the beautiful blue sky and the small if not dirty pond right underneath the window. Kaito closed his eyes and smiled. "Perfect."

"Any last words?"

"Just one: Catch." He tossed a small piece of silver, which Vermouth caught easily.

She stared at it in confusion. "What the hell is this?"

"A pin," Kaito said flatly. Hundreds of bewildered eyes watched him as he counted down in his mind. Vermouth looked at him as if he had grown another head, but Rum's eyes widened in realization. "Boom," Kaito whispered, a shallow smile spreading over his face. The grenade hidden behind his back was thrown into the crowd seconds before it exploded. The room was washed with sharp yellow light as the grenade burst and flung shrapnel hundreds of feet in all directions. The force destroyed walls, windows, support beams. The deafening roar ripped through Kaito's eardrums until they bled, and the flame and smoke and raw power of the explosives threw Kaito straight through the window and pitched him towards the ground.

_Torture, anguish, destruction… So much death…_

As he fell, Kaito listened with morbid fascination to the raw screams and wails of the dying, and watched with indifference as the window belched acrid smoke and unmerciful flames. Intense emotions swept quickly through him.

_Mourning. Pain. Satisfaction. Indifference. _Shit_, my leg really hurts…_

Kaito closed his eyes as he plummeted headfirst towards the ground, and he waited. Hopefully the fall would instantly kill him. If not, he'd probably drown to death in the murky pond water. Either was fine for him at this point.

Kaito Kuroba was going to die here today, that he had made sure of. At the tender age of thirty-one. Hah. He was much older than that mentally, anyway.

He was seconds from death, but his life did not flash before his eyes. His life was the last thing he wanted to relive before he was finally left to be in everlasting peace. Instead, he saw one face, millions of instances flashing before him of the one person he had ever really cared for. The ground was before him in seconds.

_Love…_

'_Eri…' _Kaito thought sorrowfully, gazing into her ghost's brilliant violet eyes. _'I'm so-"_

…And then the world went black.

XXXXXX

**A/N: **'Sup, peeps. We're here once more, but with a new (or rather, younger) cast of characters. The credit for the inspiration for this chapter goes to Fyliwion and her fanfic, Watching Your Liquor. I highly recommend it, if you like twists. We have one more flashback chapter to go before we return to real time. No omake this time, because this chapter was too long already. …Actually, that's not a good excuse. I just got lazy. xD There, I said it.

Next time, on **'Don't Play by the Rules': **Kaito confronts a part of him he'd rather keep buried when he looks into a certain policewoman's entrancing blue eyes… Then, realizing the futility of his endeavor to end his life, the magician/reformed assassin decides to fulfill a promise as old as time itself… While alone in the house one day, Ran discovers something strange, and decides to confront her new godfather about what she finds…


	12. A Psiren's Song: Solemn Vows

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Detective Conan.

This whole chapter is a series of flashbacks.

-------------------------------------------

**Don't Play by the Rules**

Chapter Ten: A Psiren's Song

Part Two: Solemn Vows

Aoko Nakamori's heart was pounding as she got out of her car. This was her first solo gig, and she was nervous. A supposedly abandoned warehouse had burst into flames, and she was one of the cops assigned to investigate. After graduating from the academy, Aoko had quickly climbed the ranks. She'd finally moved out of her father's shadow, and had finally garnished respect for _her_ achievements, not Ginzo's. Finally, Aoko had been promoted to detective sergeant. She was somebody's boss now, and the pressure was killing her.

"I'm down at the old Yamanaka place," Aoko mumbled into her radio. "I'm going in. Have backup ready, just in case."

"…Roger that."

The police officers divided into small groups and entered the smoldering building through the front and back entrances, but Aoko found herself wandering down a side alley. It was dangerous to go off alone, but she had a slight suspicion… Obviously anyone left inside would be dead or seriously injured and guilty of _something_, and they wouldn't go parading out a high traffic exit. If anyone was alive and left on the premises, they would use a secret or hidden passage or go through a window. And with this reasoning, Aoko slipped into the dark, a smell like burning rubber filling her nostrils and the shrieks of police sirens and fire engines in the distance. The devil was always in the details.

Because the warehouse hadn't been in use (to the best of her knowledge, anyway) for years, there was no lamps lighting the grounds. In the narrow alley it was almost pitch black. Aoko was tempted to turn on her high powered flashlight, but that would leave her open to whomever – or whatever – was out there. As she slunk, Aoko heard the soft crunching of gravel just ahead of her. Without thinking, she whipped out her gun.

"_FREEZE!_"

Her eyes adjusted to the light, and the dark form a man materialized itself, seemingly out of nowhere. At Aoko's loud command he had stopped walking, but his back remained ramrod straight and he didn't turn around. With her exceptional observance skills, she noticed that his left leg was dragging slightly. "Hands above your head, down on your knees," Aoko growled out. "No sudden moves or you'll be sorry."

His shoulders jerked as he chuckled. "Hands above my head, down on my knees?" He repeated. "Which one is it, officer: hands on head or hands on knees?"

"Don't get sassy," Aoko snapped. "You know what I meant. Put your hands on your head and get down on your knees, _now._"

The man's head turned a quarter in her direction. "No, I don't think I will." And he kept walking.

Aoko's temper flared. "Stop, bastard, or I _swear_ I'll fill you full of holes!"

He waved her away. "Go ahead," he chirped, "Don't refrain on my account." A gun pressed into his back and a slender arm encircled his waist, and Kaito's eyes narrowed. So this woman meant business. He could've easily unarmed her, of course, but he decided to hold back. After all, his self-preservation was all but gone. Nothing really mattered anymore, even a bullet wound to his back. Ugh, speaking of bullets, his leg was on _fire…_ The woman's gun cocking was what finally jolted Kaito back to the present.

"Don't think for a second that just because I'm a woman, I'm weak. Don't move, or I'll snap you in two."

"Ooh," Kaito grinned. "Feisty."

Aoko took out a spare set of handcuffs and fastened them around his wrists. "Who are you and what are you doing here?"

Kaito shrugged. "Simple. None of your business, and do you think I'd really tell you?"

Aoko grinded her teeth together, closed her eyes and counted to ten. It was unethical to kick a suspect in the balls, wasn't it? Yes, yes she believed so. Sighing, she pulled out her flashlight and shone it on the man's limping leg. His pant leg was soaked in blood; it seemed to originate from the front of his thigh, but now the blood was running down the sides and pooling at his feet. Aoko shuddered from the sight of it. '_No… don't get all sympathetic. He probably did something to deserve it.' _It was obvious that he had _something_ to do with the explosion; his face was covered in soot.

"Last chance, scum," Aoko hissed. "Talk."

Kaito regarded her fully now, eyes narrowed to slits. "Do. _Not_. Call me that."

Aoko grinned, happy that she had gotten a satisfactory reaction out of him. "Call you what? Scum?"

"Yes. Don't call me that."

Aoko blew out a raspberry. "You just blew up an entire building." She returned his glare with just as much force. "You _are_ scum."

Kaito glanced away. "You don't know that," he said softly.

Aoko's grip on his wrists tightened. "Can you prove to me otherwise?"

"…What does it matter to you, whether I did it or not?" He pulled free from her hold and turned to face her. She was dressed in a plain white blouse and tan khakis. The woman wasn't what Kaito would consider beautiful, but her wide blue eyes unsettled him. They watched Kaito with calculated ferocity, but were clear of the anguish that indicated a hard life. She was the opposite of him in almost every regard – good versus evil, cop versus criminal, carefree woman versus a bitter and depressed man… "No one who didn't deserve it got hurt, and the fire was stopped before it spread to anywhere else. Case closed, end of story."

Aoko jutted her chin out. "When I first joined the academy, I took an oath… 'I will prevent to the best of my power and knowledge all offences against the peace, people, and property'. Blowing up a building," she deadpanned. "is very much disturbing the peace, don't you think?"

Kaito looked thoughtful. "An oath, huh? So, I guess what you're saying is… you're only attacking me because of a promise."

Aoko shook her head. "It's more than that," she mumbled, exasperated with herself. She was supposed to be doing her job, yet she found her resolve weakening. Why was she taking the time to explain anything to this idiot? "There are a lot of innocent people," she continued, "out there who need someone to protect them. There are people who can't fend entirely for themselves, and I find it my goal in life to do whatever I can to help them. It's not about some 'oath'. It's about being a good person; caring for others and helping them just because it's the right thing to do." Aoko narrowed her eyes and angled the beam of her flashlight so it hit his face. Kaito frowned, but gazed at her with a bored expression. "Which is exactly what you haven't been doing. Which is why you're coming downtown with me so I can ask you some questions."

"Actually," Kaito said with fake cheer, "You just reminded me of something. I have to go now, miss, but it's been fun talking with you."

"Don't patronize me!" Aoko growled. She aimed a well placed kick at his injured leg, but Kaito easily dodged it. With a speed unlike anything Aoko had ever seen, he grabbed her outstretched leg and twisted. The woman flipped briefly in the air before colliding with the asphalt with a strangled shout. Through squinted eyes she watched Kaito fiddle with her gun before dismantling it. It and the removed clip fell harmlessly to the ground.

"_Goddamn _you!" Aoko seethed. She rose to her hands and knees and swiped her leg under the man's lame one. Kaito hissed out a curse and tottered before catching himself. He raised an eyebrow at her.

"Persistent, aren't you?"

"_Asshole!_" Aoko jumped to her feet and started towards Kaito with her fists raised. She aimed a punch at his exposed chest, but Kaito caught her fist in his own. She swiped at him with her other, but the insufferable man blocked this punch just as easily. Kaito yanked their hands down between them, captured her wrists in one of his hands, and then prodded Aoko quickly in the side of her neck. She squirmed at the odd, ticklish feeling, but his odd behavior was eclipsed by Aoko's flaring temper. "Bastard! Let go!"

Kaito shrugged. "Sure." He released her, and Aoko stumbled back a few steps before rushing him again. Kaito stood still, grinning, but his eyes widened as she reached him and smashed him hard in the face with her fist. Kaito hissed as he jerked back to protect his eye.

"_Son of a_-!!"

"Jackass!" Aoko roared triumphantly. "I _said_ don't patronize…" Suddenly the world grew fuzzy, and the officer dropped to her knees. A strong wave of nausea swept through her. "…me." She struggled briefly against her rebellious body before her eyes rolled back and she collapsed in a dead faint. Kaito's expression was grim as he watched Aoko's still form, rubbing at the growing bruise around his eye that he just_ knew_ would turn black. _Great_.

He crouched down to inspect her. "You're a firecracker, aren't you?" Her breathing was slow but deep, a look of fury still etched into her features. "Didn't think you'd last long enough to _punch_ me." Kaito pulled his hand back to check for blood and sighed. "Sorry for all that. You'll probably be out for a half an hour or so, but you're not hurt. You're pride, however, is probably permanently scarred, but that makes both of us." He chuckled without humor, standing. "Enjoy the rest of your night. I'm sure your buddies will come looking for you eventually." Kaito moved to walk away, but something about the innocent way the woman was sprawled over the ground stopped him. He _should_ just leave her here. Let her lay in the dark for a while in return for the black eye, the hurt leg and the bruised ego. But no matter what he'd been through tonight a woman was _still_ a woman, and despite the underhanded things he'd done in the past he could never quite scorn an innocent of the fairer sex. Sighing, Kaito returned to Aoko's side and lifted her into his arms. Though she was short her weight was substantial, and Kaito found himself straining against the pain as he walked down the alley and into the open. The area was bursting with activity, and with all the bodies covered in dirt and grime running about Kaito failed to raise any suspicion. Finally he couldn't take the pain anymore, and he gently lowered his bundle to the ground near a group of idle paramedics. They gazed at him curiously.

"Smoke inhalation," he explained casually, wiping some soot of his pants. "She fell to the ground pretty hard, so she might have a few scrapes… promise to take good care of this one, all right?" Before they could inquire of his identity or his injuries, Kaito pulled the gun parts, flashlight and handcuffs out of his pockets and laid them beside her, in addition to a white rose, for the finishing touch. "Oh, and make sure she gets these." Shoving his hands in his recently vacated pockets, Kaito trudged off and disappeared into the crowd, his expression blank but a million thoughts racing through his head. Right now all he wanted to do was collapse into a deep coma, but there were still some things to handle first. A little girl needed someone extra to watch over her.

He planned to be just that.

----------------------

Vermouth gasped in pain as another piece of glass was yanked from her skin. "_FUCK!" _

"Vermouth," Rum murmured, holding the glass shard she'd just removed up to the light before dropping in into the steel pan beside her. "Please, just take the anesthesia all ready. This is too much. Even for you."

"No," Vermouth hissed, grinding her teeth. "I want to be awake for it all. I want to feel every single bit of pain, so that if I ever see that piece of shit again I can pay him back in full for what he's done!"

"He's probably dead," Gin said from his chair in the corner. "I wasn't there, but I don't know no one who could survive a fall like that." Luckily for Gin and Vodka, they hadn't been at headquarters when it had exploded. They had been too busy 'cleaning up' all loose ends that Eri Kisaki's death had created.

"_I _did!" Rum hissed, glaring at the blond haired operative. "_I _survived! I am alive, and it is hardly a blessing, because I'd rather be dead than look like _this_!!" Vodka winced as he gazed at Rum's marred face, her right eye pale grey and glazed like the dead's. Her forehead was wrapped in gauze, and there were sloppy stitches holding the skin of her upper lip together. Gin's expression remained neutral as he looked at her, though he did eventually glance away.

Vermouth sniffed. "You could have surgery done," she reminded Rum. "Like I will. You can have not only your beauty, but your youth back. Why do you want to stay this way, Rum? We don't have scientists like Miyano sitting around for you to have to endure-"

"No! I will not erase it! I will not forget!" She jutted her chin out. "I will hold this as proof of the ultimate betrayal – the day Kaito Kuroba turned against his organization and _murdered_ hundreds of his fellow operatives in cold blood!!"

"Our numbers in Japan are almost halved now," Vermouth mumbled, wincing as Rum began to stitch the wounds on her shoulder. "We will need years to replenish the resources that have been lost. Despite their betrayal, Margarita and Bourbon were powerful and irreplaceable assets. Now the bastards are gone, and they took half our troops with them. And we have yet to find the Pandora."

"_**But within this loss is a victory." **_All four Black Organization members looked up as their Boss entered the room. Vodka scrambled from his seat – which his boss instantly took – and stood at rigid attention. It was rare for the head man in charge to address his employees directly, but these were special times. _**"We will rebuild ourselves bigger and stronger. We won't make the same mistakes again. And… we will find what we're looking for."**_

Vermouth frowned, face carefully neutral as she said: "Kir is gone. Pisco is gone. Calvados, Chianti… they were some of our top operatives…"

Rum pushed the needle up through Vermouth's skin and cut the excess thread away. "Margarita is dead. We can't get torture her anymore than we did. But Bourbon…"

Vermouth growled. "Bourbon is not dead. I know he isn't. That stubborn bitch will probably outlive us all. It might take weeks, months, or years, but I WILL see him again. I will have my revenge… Kaito, you can count on that." Her eyes were devoid of any emotion except for bloodlust, and her Boss observed this with a smile, pleased.

----------------------

"Daddy!" Ran flailed her arms. "Watch me, watch me!" The young girl placed her hands on the ground, hoisted her body up and tumbled forward. Landing on her butt, Ran threw up her hands and grinned proudly. "Look, I did a cartwheel!"

Kogoro chuckled. "Yeah, I saw! You're a regular little acrobat, Ran." As his daughter's attention turned away from him, Kogoro slumped forward and downed another swig of soda. He was itching for a beer, but no, he needed to be here to watch Ran, and he was no good to anyone when he was drunk. Yet the desire was there, and though he was trying to fight it Kogoro knew that sometime tonight he would be indulging in high quantities of alcohol. It was a destructive habit, but it was a hell of a lot better than doing what he really wanted to do; shut himself up in his room and cry his eyes out. But that would be a punk thing to do. Ran was hurting just as bad, and she needed her father to be her strongest pillar of support.

But it had only been _two weeks_. Kogoro figured he needed a lifetime to get over it.

The bench beside him creaked as someone sat down, and Mouri looked up. Kaito sat with his head back and his eyes closed, his fingers laced behind his head. Kogoro sucked in a breath as he took in the man's ragged appearance. "What the hell happened to you?!"

Kaito opened his eyes, blinking to adjust to the sun. "Car accident. It was late and I got drunk and slammed into a tree." He rubbed his black eye, facing Kogoro with a mild frown. "Seems like I'm only calm when I've got 40 ounces in me."

Kogoro nodded. "Don't I know it," he mumbled, glancing away. The sound of children laughing brought both men to look up at Ran and at Shinichi, who was pushing her on a swing. Ran squealed as she soared higher and higher.

Kaito nodded towards her. "She seems to be… handling it all right."

Kogoro shot the man a disapproving frown. "You don't know shit about kids, then. She's faking it. Badly. The only reason I got her to the park in the first place is because that little Kudo brat _dragged_ her here."

Kaito laughed uneasily. "Ah, you're right. I don't know anything about kids. Never been interested in having them myself, though I do like them. Didn't have the time." Kogoro grunted his agreement as he finished off his drink. "But… I am her godfather. I've never gotten the chance to spend time with her before, because of the traveling, but… well, now I have a change in priorities. I want to get to know Ran-chan. I hope that's okay."

Mouri snorted. "Why the hell wouldn't it be? You're one hell of an oddball, Kuroba." He crushed his can and turned to address the man fully. "Look, Ran needs as much love and support as she can get. She needs to be distracted. And even if it's with those crazy magic tricks of yours, it's fine with me." Kogoro spared Kaito a quick glance. "Besides, it might be good for her to remember…"

"Yeah," Kaito murmured. "It'll help remind her of her mother. So she won't forget." A silence passed between them. "But… I think I won't introduce that just yet. Sometimes… it's better to let the wounds heal first, I think."

"But they won't, will they?" Kogoro grunted softly, frowning down at his hands. "They never do." Surreptitiously, Kaito took note of the dark circles around Kogoro's eyes, and the hair much more disheveled than usual. He imagined what he himself must look like; a black eye and a broken leg, probably looking just as ragged from neglect. What a pair they both made.

"No," Kaito murmured, watching Kogoro twist his wedding band anxiously on his finger. "I suppose they don't."

----------------------

"Kaito-ojisan!" Ran frowned up at the man, who was shuffling a deck of playing cards. "How come you're always playing little kid games?"

Kaito grinned, reaching down to ruffle the girl's hair. "Ah, Ran-chan. How innocent and naïve you are. Magic tricks aren't just for kids, you know." He flicked his hand out and pulled a rose from behind Ran's ear. She squealed and cradled it with obvious delight. "Doing good magic tricks takes a lot of discipline and skill. I've been practicing for years, so I'm really good at it, but you… well, you'd need a lot of training to be as good as me."

Ran pouted, sticking her hands on her waist. "What's that supposed to mean?" Kaito said nothing; he simply grinned and returned to shuffling his cards. "Are you trying to say that I can't do a stupid little magic trick? I know those aren't real; Shinichi told me magic is just a bunch of… of smoke and mirrors. You're not a magician, Kaito-ojisan. You're an… illusionalist."

Kaito chuckled. "That's 'illusionist', Ran-chan, and you really shouldn't let that stuffy friend of yours ruin all your fun." Ran narrowed her eyes and opened her mouth, about to defend her best friend, but Kaito stopped her with a finger to the lips. "You think it's so easy, eh? Well then, here. Try it out yourself." He held the cards out to her, but Ran was skeptical. "If I'm not really doing magic, then you should be able to do 'illusions' just as well, ne?" He waved the cards in front of her nose. "Unless you're _scared._" That was all it took. Ran scowled at Kaito, snatching the deck from him and fanning the cards out.

"Pick a card," she mumbled, still frowning. "Any card, and I'll guess what you picked without even looking." Ran offered Kaito the cards face down, and while her eyes were closed Kaito slipped a single card out. A five of diamonds. With a chuckle and an impish grin, he placed the card back in the pile. Ran opened her eyes and grinned confidently.

"Okay," she chirped, shuffling the deck once more. That finished, Ran reached to pull a card.

"Wait!" Ran frowned at him, impatient. "I have an even better trick for you, Ran-chan. I'll tell _you_ what card you're going to pick."

Ran rose her eyebrows. "How are you going to do that? Besides, I already know what card it's going to be - whatever card you picked."

"Nope," Kaito said flatly. "I picked the five of diamonds. What you have in your hand there is an ace of spades." Incredulous, Ran flipped the card over, and her eyes widened as she looked at it. "Ah… I was right, wasn't I?"

"What… how did you do that?!" Ran shuffled through the deck herself, but nothing seemed out of the ordinary. No multiple fives or lack of threes. It was a perfectly normal, unspectacular deck of playing cards, and yet Kaito had guessed exactly which card she'd pulled. "It must've been some sort of trick. You must have each card marked differently or something."

Kaito tutted. "Ran, I am hurt by your doubt. Why can't it just be plain ol' magic? Why do you have to overanalyze everything?"

Ran folded her arms and stamped her foot. "Because magic isn't real! All it does is fool people too gullible to think for themselves! It's so obvious that it's faked. Magic goes against everything scientific!"

Kaito's lips thinned. He had to remember to strangle that Kudo kid for implanting such horrible information in his Ran-chan's little head. "Ran." He crouched down and placed his hand on her shoulder. "Maybe everything about magic _isn't_ one hundred percent authentic. Maybe you're right. But you're also very wrong. Magic isn't about trying to fool or humiliate or take advantage of people." He took the rose he had pulled from her ear and fastened it to her shirt collar. "Magic is about bringing joy, and making people laugh. It's about doing something that entertains. It's about making people forget – if only for a moment – how sad or angry they are or all the troubles they might be facing…"

Ran pushed his hand away, stalking a few feet away to sulk. "My mom," she blurted. "Magic didn't make _her_ forget her troubles." She whirled to face him. "It killed her!" Tears formed in her eyes and Ran hastily wiped them away, but Kaito remained still and blank. Suddenly he sighed, falling back on his butt and staring at her.

"So this is what this is about?" He asked. "Your mother? You lost your love of magic because you think it killed her?" Reluctantly, Ran nodded. Her lip was trembling, and Kaito let out another small sigh as he held out his arms to her. The 10 year old girl rushed into his embrace, hiding her face in the crook of his neck as she allowed herself to cry. Kaito cleared his throat and patted her back awkwardly. "Ran-chan… don't cry…"

"But it's true, isn't it?! Mom was killed when she was working on a new magic trick for your show! If she hadn't been doing those stupid tricks, she'd still be here!"

"Ran, magic didn't kill your mother. Faulty equipment did." _'And vengeful gangsters,'_ he added mentally, but he kept that little tidbit – and his reaction to it – to himself. "Your mom loved doing magic for the same reasons I do. Because she loved bringing joy to people. Surely you remember all those tricks she taught you when you were younger?" Kaito felt Ran nod. "And you loved them, didn't you? You loved the mystery attached to it, but most importantly, you just loved spending time with your mom, and having fun. That's what it's all about, Ran-chan."

Ran sniffled. "I guess you're right, but…" She shook her head, holding on to her godfather's neck for dear life. "I miss her, Kaito. I really, really, miss her…"

Kaito closed his eyes. "I know, Ran-chan. So do I. But… it would break your mom's heart to see you shun everything she loved." Ran flinched, and she looked away, ashamed.

"I… I don't… I don't want her to be ashamed of me…" Kaito suddenly felt bad for his choice of words, but before he could try and refute his own claims Ran continued. "I want to be able to share that part of her… Kaito-ojisan, can you teach me magic, too? The real kind, not those stupid card tricks."

The magician smirked, gazing at her with proud, affectionate eyes. He had intended to teach her all along, but it meant all the more to him that she had come to him first. "Of course, Ran. It would be an honor." He patted her on the head, immune to Ran's glare. "All right, for your first lesson, you have to figure out how to counter magic spells."

Ran rolled her eyes and sighed exasperatedly. "It's not _real_ magic, Kaito."

He shrugged. "Sure it's not. That purple hair color you're sporting… it must be just a trick of the light." Ran stared at him with confusion. She probably thought he had gone crazy, but nevertheless Ran yanked at a lock of her hair and pulled it into her line of vision. She paled at the new violent hue, gaping like a fish. Smiling to himself, Kaito closed his eyes and counted down. Three… two… one-

"_KAITO!!!"_

----------------------

The discovery did not come as a total surprise, though it was quite unwanted. Kaito felt his stomach drop as he stood in doorway, watching the body hanging from the ceiling sway back and forth from inertia. It was a man of middle age with nothing very remarkable about him, except that he was dressed head to toe in black. Kaito figured he had just been some random guy they'd picked up off the street; a innocent victim in the Black Organization's plan to reach and intimidate him. With Kaito's newfound morals it did not bode well, and the only relief he got in result of the murder was that his former allies hadn't pinpointed his exact location yet. He hadn't been to this warehouse in months, and it was far away from any and all people and places that could be traced back to him.

Kaito cursed. Despite his best efforts, the Black Organization was still very much alive in Japan, and they wanted his blood.

Despite his best intentions, he wouldn't be left in peace.

And despite his greatest hopes and dreams, Kaito would never have any semblance of a normal life, and though he had momentarily forgotten that, his dear friends in black would _always_ see to reminding him.

Kaito shut his eyes and pulled the engagement ring Aoko had given him from his finger. Without a thought, he chucked it across the room and sighed as he heard the gold clank against a wall and skitter across the floor. "I'm sorry," he mumbled to it, his Poker Face firmly in place. He had forgotten once…

He wouldn't forget again.

----------------------

"Did you think I wouldn't figure it out?!" Ran marched right up to him, glaring with all the heat she could muster even though he was seven inches taller than her and could snap her like a twig. "All this time… you knew. You hid it all this time, even though you knew how it would hurt me! You hid it from me and my dad and everyone else! Why, Kaito? Why did you hide it?" Ran shivered, tears slipping down her cheeks as she held herself. "Why did you do it? Why did _she_ do it?"

Kaito shrugged. "Naturally, I hid it to protect you. But, if you had to know this isn't the way I would've wanted you to find it out…"

"Stop with the bull, okay?" Kaito was stunned by Ran's venomous temper, but to his credit he didn't let it show. "Stop trying to use that stupid Poker Face technique on me! Stop trying to pretend like you're so detached and _above_ everything and you don't give a damn!" She poked him sharply in the chest. "Stop lying to me, Kaito, and just tell me…" Her face crumbled. "Tell me _why_… tell me why my mother… why my mother was flouncing around the world dressed as the Psiren!"

Kaito sighed, massaging his temples. "It's a long story, Ran."

"Tell me," Ran commanded, eyes narrowed to slits. "Tell me _now_."

He stared at her pointblank. "You saw the tape, right? So, you already know everything. Your mom… Eri wanted to accomplish something she couldn't do by regular means. So, she tried an unorthodox method-"

"No, you're lying! She wasn't some saint, she was a thief! She stole hundreds of millions of dollars in artifacts for her own selfish purposes! And _you_ were right there with her!" Ran turned away from him, her fists clenched at her side. "I… I don't even know who you are anymore! I thought you two were just magicians, traveling the world and making people laugh and forget their troubles… that's the point of magic, right? That's what you told me!" Suddenly Ran was in his face again, but the anger was gone; replaced with a deep sadness that made Kaito's heart clench. "You said… you said my mother wasn't killed by her magic tricks. But the magic itself was a lie. She was using it as a cover for all the horrible things she did underneath." She sobbed. "And… the things that you did, too."

Kaito narrowed his eyes, grasping Ran's wrists gently. "How much did that tape say?"

Ran sniffled, glaring. "Oh, don't you know? She told me everything, Kaito. She told me about how she joined some gang when she was just out of high school, how she was assigned as your partner and you two started stealing and betraying and…" Her eyes squeezed shut. "_Killing_." Ran shook her head. "My mom was a murderer," she gasped out. "And my godfather is one, too. God, what are the _odds_?"

"Ran!" Kaito shook her. "Ran, calm down. I need to explain. Your mom and I, we-"

"It doesn't matter," she whispered. "I can't trust you anymore." Ran fled from her father, friend and mentor, and Kaito didn't stop her. It was 60 degrees outside and raining, but she didn't care. She had to get away, away, far away… where the lies and the deceit and all the pain couldn't touch her anymore. Everything she thought she knew about her mother was a lie. She had been fooled along with the rest of the world. And on top of that, the one person in the world who she believed would understand was the one person she now knew she couldn't believe. He was one of them, too.

Gods, what _hadn't_ they lied to her about?

The first place she thought of to go was Shinichi's house, but she certainly couldn't turn up there crying and not tell him why. Going home meant facing her father, which was something she just couldn't do. Sonoko was out of the question for the simple reason that the girl just couldn't keep her mouth shut. Ran was soaked to the bone and standing in the dark, and never had she felt so alone. With a shuddering sigh, she changed directions, heading towards a place she hadn't been in a long time… the cemetery. She and her mother had a lot to talk about…

----------------------

Kaito was feeling particularly crummy today. Aoko still wasn't talking to him, not that he could blame her. He had hurt her in the worst possible way, after all. Not to mention her finding the AK-47 he kept in the basement closet. For defensive reasons, of course, but to Aoko he probably looked like a serial killer. He sighed. Though, honestly, it wasn't so far off from the truth…

Plopping down on his couch, Kaito flipped on the television set and proceeded to numb his mind with subpar primetime sitcoms. Suddenly the screen flashed black before a breaking news bulletin replaced the regularly scheduled programming.

"_We're here live from downtown Tokyo, where the scene is utter chaos due to the appearance of a criminal once thought dead by the general public…"_

Kaito sat upright. "No, it can't be…"

"_You heard it here first, folks. Psiren the Phantom Thief has reappeared in her classic fashion, eight full years after her last sighting…"_

The camera panned over to the left and up, showing a young woman dressed entirely in white. A close up of her face was shown, and although the majority of the world wouldn't be able to tell the difference, to Kaito it was as obvious as night and day. He clapped a hand over his eyes. "Oh, _shit._"

----------------------

Ran folded her arms, a stubborn expression on her face. "No," she said firmly. "I didn't ask for your opinion."

Kaito narrowed his eyes. "Do you know what sort of dangers you're getting yourself into?"

"Yes, and I don't care. Look, I still don't understand why you and mom did what you did, but… I want to. I want to help. I want to make sure no other kids have to suffer through what I had to go through."

He definitely could admire her strength, but her logic was all sorts of screwy. "Ran-chan, I'm sure your mom would appreciate your dedication, but I'm pretty sure this isn't what she had in mind when she left that video for you."

Ran shrugged. "Somehow, I think she knew this would happen. She left all her old gadgets, costumes and newspaper articles for me." She frowned, averting her eyes. "Maybe she didn't want me to become the next Psiren, but I think she knew it was going to happen anyway."

Kaito sighed. "Probably, knowing Eri. But Ran, this isn't fun and games. Psiren's supposed to have died when Eri died, and if she's suddenly resurrected… well, there are people who will notice, and they'll come after you." He placed his hands on his hips, staring hard at her. "Mainly people who want to kill you and have every possible resource to do so."

"Kaito-ojisan… you don't have to help me. You can pretend this conversation never happened, and I'll just figure it out on my own. Mom was killed trying to find the Pandora so she could find a way to redeem herself. I need to finish it for her, or this mess will never get resolved." Ran placed a hand to her chest, comforted by the steady beat of her own heart and the soft cotton of her shirt. Despite being totally skimpy, the Psiren costume was surprisingly comfortable, and due to the new curves she had obtained at seventeen it fit her well. "Mom had a mission, and she was killed before she could finish it. You couldn't do it for her, because you needed to take care of me, so that leaves me as the last resort. You can't deny that it needs to be done, Kaito."

"Yeah, sure, but… are you sure this is the best way to go about things?"

Ran beamed at him, fitting the mask in place. "The only way."

Kaito sighed again. He seemed to do that a lot, lately. Damn, this kid was going to give him gray hair and wrinkles way before his time. "All right, fine. I'll help you. But I hope you know what you're doing, Ran-chan…"

Naturally, she didn't.

Up in heaven, two pairs of eyes watched as a young woman pledged her life to a cause not her own. Ran didn't know what she was up against, but she could be trusted. There was no doubt in either mind that the teenager would do everything in her power to end a blood war as old as time itself. What's more, she had Kaito there, and they knew for certain that he wouldn't let any harm come to her if he could help it.

"Don't worry," Toichi said, smiling as he placed a hand on Eri's shoulder. "She can take care of herself."

Eri looked up at him and, sadly, smiled. "I know."

XXXXXX

**A/N: **Aww… poor Kaito. He gets no love. xD He's got the worst luck in the world, the poor guy. Thankfully it did get better for him, but… enough of all these angsty flashbacks! Now it's time to get back to the present day and with Shinichi, Ran and Heiji! More of the drama you love, less of the reminiscing! Yay!

Next time, on "**Don't Play by the Rules**,": Shinichi, Heiji, and Psiren work together and apart to solve the clues needed to find the Mermaid's Retribution, with (seemingly) positive results. But things are not always what they seem.

OMAKE

_Splish, Splash_

"_NOOO_! I don't want a bath! I don't want one-!!!"

Yusaku chuckled as he turned to the world events section of his newspaper. There never was a dull moment in the Kudo household nowadays, thanks to a little ball of energy named 'Conan'. At four, he was walking and talking and generally causing a havoc wherever he went, and his older brother Shinichi made things no better by encouraging him.

"Co-chan, don't fight mommy! You need to wash all that dirt off!" Splashing water and frustrated cries could be heard from the bathroom down the hall. At this point Yusaku couldn't tell if the crying was coming from his son or his wife, but he could guess that it was both. More water splashed onto the tile floor, and the tub squeaked as Conan struggled against his mother. "Ah, Shin-chan! Help me, _please!!" _

His oldest son spoke next. "I'm _trying_, but he won't stay sti- Conan, get your BUTT out of my face!!"

More sounds of struggling, and then there was the sound of a heavy object hitting the floor. Yusaku sat up straight in his chair. Okay… _now_ he was starting to get concerned.

"Oh my god, _Shinichi_! Shinichi, wake up! Are you all right?!!"

Yusaku bolted to his feet and rushed to the bathroom. As he reached the threshold, a small blur raced past him, though he gave it only a fleeting thought. Yusaku gaped at the sight in front of him.

Shinichi was sprawled out on the bathroom floor unconscious, with Yukiko hovering protectively over him. There was soap bubbles in her hair and her shirt was soaked and… wait, was that _toothpaste?!_ His oldest had a dirty handprint on his cheek and a magic marker moustache. Occasionally he would twitch or groan, but other than that he didn't move. Yusaku glanced warily over his shoulder at the toddler running around in circles in his living room.

"Masked Yaiba, to the rescuuuuue!" He roared, his fists raised in the air and a makeshift towel-cape billowing behind him. "Superheroes _never_ take baths!" Conan laughed, jumping up on the sofa and bouncing up and down. He left a trail of soap and water wherever he went, but that wasn't all Yusaku noticed. Except for his cape, Conan was as naked and glistening as the day he was born. The distraught father slapped a hand over his eyes, pushing his glasses askew. He didn't know whether to laugh or cry. "Conan…"

One thing that could be said about the Kudo family; no day was ever boring. Yusaku's chuckle died in his throat as he heard the front door open and close. Eyes wide, he grabbed a blanket off the couch and ran after his son.

"CONAN! Don't go on the lawn without putting pants on first!!"


	13. Illusions of Security

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Detective Conan.

Ha… looking back at the past chapters, I've devised a drinking game! Every time Kaito either 1) sighs miserably, or 2) massages his temples, you take a drink! You'll be drunk in no time! (Disclaimer: The authoress does not support the drinking of alcoholic beverages by minors and is not responsible for any stupidity caused by said drinking) xD

Since some people have been wondering, Kaito and Aoko have been married five years. They met when they were thirty-one, with less than happy circumstances, and then through a series of 'coincidences' continued to see each other. Eventually they started dating, and then Aoko proposed. I promise I'll elaborate on their relationship later, but for now…

-------------------------------------------

_The sound of blood dripping. A cackling laugh._

"_Please," he pleaded, eyes shut against the pain. Her ghastly face was burned into his vision. "_Please_, I'm begging you… I'll have your money. Just give me a few more days…" That laugh again. God, it chilled him to the bone. He'd only seen this expression once before this day – had only seen that bloodlust in her gaze that one moment years ago, when he had watched her murder five of his closest accomplices. He had vowed at that moment that he would _never_ see that look from her again. He would do anything and everything, kill and steal, lie and cheat. A lot of good any of that did him, for now he was staring down the barrel of a gun._

"_Why?" He whispered finally, resigned to his fate. But if he was going to die today, first he wanted some answers. "Why are you doing this? Why has Fujiwara been placed in active duty? Why are so many lesser operatives being killed? Why are you taking so many risks?" _Why, why, **why**?

_Vermouth laughed her hysterical laugh again. "Because you're no longer needed," she replied smoothly, smirking. "All these scum… in the end so worthless… we don't need you anymore. All you ever were was dead weight…"_

_He swallowed, eyes filling with tears despite his best efforts to restrain them. He wasn't important. He was… just scum? Then what was it all for? Had he really risked it all… thrown away his entire future… just for this? "Why I am worthless?" He whispered. "How can you throw me away so easily? After everything I've done…" _'I was never afraid of death as long as I knew I would die with honor, but… like this?'

_Vermouth cocked her head, and her smirk faded slightly. "You're a good little pet, Shuji," she murmured, caressing his face. "I enjoyed you while it lasted, but surely you never imagined I cherished you, did you?"_

_Shuji shook his head. "Of course not," he said sternly, glaring up at her. "But I figured I meant more to you than just a pet. I thought I was more valuable to our cause. Boss, why…?"_

"_We've almost found it, Shuji-chan," she whispered, her eyes bright. "The Pandora, it's right there… right within our grasp. Just a little more time… and we'll be invincible! Aren't you happy for us?" When Shuji said nothing in reply, Vermouth narrowed her eyes. Her finger tightened on the trigger. "Can't you just be happy for me, Shu-Shu?"_

_Shuji chuckled. "I see. You don't want to spread the wealth. That's why we're being snuffed out like candles." He sighed, eyes growing distant. "Should've known."_

"_A revolution has begun, Shuji! The Black Organization is about to change the world. We will be kings. We will be gods. Can't you be happy, Shuji? Can't you be happy for me?"_

"_No," Shuji grunted, but his voice was drowned out by the ear-splitting bang of the gun. His head jerked back before he slumped completely to the cold tile floor, his skull leaking precious fluids. But for some reason, he wouldn't die. Not yet._

"_You should've been happy for me, Shu-Shu," Vermouth sighed long-sufferingly, oblivious to the man's continued torment. "We will be gods," She repeated happily. "Angels." As he listened to the clicking of her heels, echoing off the barren walls, Shuji cried. He had committed so many sins, and yet he would continue to be forgotten. Insignificant. What was it all for? _

"_No, Vermouth," he whispered on his final breaths, "We're not gods." Her loud cackles still rang in his ears._

"_We're _**demons.**_"_

…

…

…

**Don't Play by the Rules**

Chapter Eleven: Illusions of Security

The wind blew against Heiji's back as he stood outside the café, waiting. Idly, he watched the people pass by him on the sidewalk, though many were oblivious to his presence. The happy shrieks of children across the street in the park brought a smile to his face, and as he waited for Shinichi, he contemplated on what had brought him here, and whether or not he was crazy for agreeing to this.

He was going to work with a thief to bring down a massive criminal organization. Good lord, it sounded ridiculous even to Heiji's own ears. And his greatest rival was now his ally, who was working to bring down the _same_ organization to get revenge for his little brother who was killed accidentally when crooks had been deployed to murder him…

Heiji grimaced. It sounded like an awful mystery thriller. "I should write it," He said with a shrug. "Could make millions."

"You should write what?"

Heiji looked up. Shinichi was standing before him, hands shoved into his pockets over his crutches. "A book based on my life story," Heiji said with a smirk. "I'd change the names of course, but no one would believe me if I told them anyway."

Shinichi raised his eyebrows. "No one would believe what?"

"This." Heiji gestured weakly around him. "Us. Two sides of the law, working for a greater cause. All that clichéd nonsense. It sounds too melodramatic even for me."

Shinichi chuckled, pushing over to stand beside him. "You're a detective with a superior intellect, who happens to be better than some twice his age. You dad is a police chief. Your whole _existence_ is melodramatic."

Heiji feigned surprise. "Why, thank you."

Shinichi snorted. "Don't get too flattered. That was general observation, not a personal compliment on your genius."

"Still, I'm touched, Kudo."

Just as Shinichi prepared a quip in response, a young man about their age strode up to them, wearing a baseball cap. He wore baggy faded jeans and an emerald green T-shirt, his face framed by unruly brown bangs. Chocolate brown eyes watched the detectives with mild amusement and his mouth twitched. "I'm glad you two are learning to get along."

"Psiren," Heiji and Shinichi murmured simultaneously. He, or rather _she, _brought a finger to her lips, shushing them.

"Don't give away the _se-cret_."

Heiji frowned in annoyance. "Is it really necessary to keep changin' disguises like that? I don't want to be suspecting all my friends and neighbors of being a world class thief; looking o'er my shoulder thinkin' you're watchin' me. It's disconcerting."

Psiren shrugged. "It's safer this way. If you don't even know who I am, then the Black Ops don't either. Plus I just _love_ to ruffle your feathers, Hei-chan."

Shinichi narrowed his eyes and interrupted Heiji as he was about to speak. "What did you find?"

Psiren cocked her head. "What did you?"

Heiji pulled a folded piece of paper out of his pocket and tossed it at her, which she deftly caught. "No one's seen the Eagle's Eye. The First was the last one who had her hands on it… don't you have access to her stuff?" The 'first' referred to the first Psiren, who had been killed in an attempt to secure the Eagle's Eye. He pushed off the wall and folded his arms. "Maybe she has it hidden somewhere for you."

"Nice try, but no. My mentor didn't leave it to me; I've been through all her materials a million times. I could probably list off everything right here and now, but a rare emerald isn't one of them. Probably a few skeletons… counterfeit bills, maybe…"

Heiji was not amused. "Ha, ha."

Shinichi frowned. "Since the Eagle's Eye was the last gem your mentor stole before she died, it's hard to say exactly where it might be. Obviously it had something to do with her death, but do you think _they_ got a hold of it before they killed her?"

Psiren frowned, narrowing her eyes. Shinichi didn't need to say who he was talking about; it was obvious in the way he said the word through clenched teeth, the way his eyes went blank of all emotions except fierce determination. Heiji observed the transformation with sympathy. This was no crummy crime novel, where the hero always won and beat the bad guys before anyone innocent got hurt. Dozens had been killed already, including the "hero's" young brother and the heroine's former teacher. Somehow Heiji had been pulled into all of this madness as well, and he had his very own vendetta against the criminal organization, even though he had yet to encounter them personally.

'_Otaki-han…'_ Heiji felt tears form in his eyes, and he willed them away. Goro Otaki had been like a surrogate father to him, a warm mild-mannered man to counter Heizo's often strict and detached way of parenting. Goro had been one of the officers present at that Osaka heist, but he had been found dead days later; lying in a pool of blood in his own bathtub, his eyes glazed and his throat slashed. Whoever had killed him had surprised him, but not in the way one would suspect…

Otaki had fallen into his bathtub _backwards_, having been slashed by his attacker from the front. But forensics discovered no sign of a struggle; no sign that Otaki had tried to defend himself or run. The conclusion? Whoever had killed the jolly man had been someone the man had known. After that incident, police corpses began popping up all over the city. The murders didn't follow any kind of a pattern; the officers were of different positions and units. The only thing they had in common was that they were dead, and that somehow, even in the smallest of degrees, were connected to Psiren the Phantom Thief. Coincidence? Heiji thought not.

This was an inside job, and that scared Heiji more than he was willing to admit.

"Perhaps," Psiren murmured, "But I doubt it. If they're still trying to kill me, it means they haven't found Pandora yet. They're trying to eliminate the competition and any possible threats." She frowned. "They're still going after the prints, so I don't think they've found the real thing. I guess they think eventually, if they torture and kill enough art collectors, they'll be able to get the information they need. Plus I'm sure they want to erase all evidence that such a painting even exists."

"This could work to our advantage," Heiji pondered out loud. "They don't know that you're a different Psiren, so if they don't have the Eye themselves they can only assume that you do. The First probably hid it somewhere, and then was killed before she could go after the painting."

"But we can't be for sure, though. Maybe they have the emerald, but are struggling to find the painting. Regardless, we know that we need _both_ to find the Pandora."

Psiren nodded. "I can look again about the emerald. Maybe one of my sources can divulge something I might've missed."

Heiji grunted. "And we'll keep lookin' into the painting." He pointed at the paper hanging limp between Psiren's fingertips. "That's a computer printout of all the people who own a print of the Mermaid, and where the prints are being kept. All the ones who've already been killed have been crossed out, but that still leaves ten people. The prints are like a… very good fake. It would be more accurate to call them copies. Collectors spend hundreds of thousands of dollars to pay a restorer to duplicate the original painting down to the smallest detail. They're nearly impossible to tell apart, but any real art aficionado knows the difference. Apparently, whatever we need to find Pandora can only be found in the original work. But no one, not even the ones who commissioned the duplicates, knows exactly where the original _is._"

Shinichi smirked. "So one of them is lying."

"Hmm." Psiren unfolded the paper and scanned it quickly. "How could you possibly get a hold of something like this, Hei-chan?" Heiji laughed nervously as Psiren shot him a suspicious glare.

"Well, I have my sources too."

"But," Shinichi pointed out, looking at the sheet over Psiren's shoulder. He didn't notice the way she blushed to the tips of her ears. "There are ten people on this sheet from as far away as California. It would take forever to find these people, question them, and determine who knows more about the whereabouts of the original than they claim."

Heiji shrugged. "Could just let the Black Organization lead us to it." He grimaced at the heated glares his two allies were shooting him.

"That," Psiren growled, "is _not_ an option."

Heiji backed up and held up his hands. "Okay, then we need a different approach – find the emerald first, then somehow use it to help us find the painting."

Shinichi folded his arms. "How are we supposed to do that, anyway? What, does that mean there's an inscription on the gem that says, 'Hey, looking for the Eagle's Eye? Well look no further! And why you're at it, here's the location of the Mermaid's Retribution, too."

"Smart ass," Heiji grumbled.

"I don't know, to be honest," Psiren murmured. She looked away, staring off into space. "All I know is that the Eagle's Eye is, well, the size of an eagle eye. Anything else I'll have to ask sensei…"

Shinichi raised an eyebrow. "Sensei?"

Psiren's smile was sheepish. "Ah, sorry. Can't tell anymore than that, tantei-san."

Heiji shrugged, walking over to Shinichi and grabbing him by the arm. "Come on, Kudo. We've got work to do. We have a train to catch."

"What?" Shinichi croaked, bewildered. "What train?"

Heiji flashed his teeth, pointing to the paper grasped in Psiren's fingers. "One of the collectors lives three hours or so away from here. The Black Ops probably haven't gotten to him yet because it's such high security and the guy is real high profile, but he shouldn't have any problems talkin' to a couple of ace detectives, ne?" Supporting Shinichi slightly as the teen hobbled along, Heiji looked over his shoulder and gave Ran an offhand wave. "Oi, see ya lady! I'll call ya as soon as we find somethin'!"

Ran blushed to her toes as she waved weakly back, and then they were gone. Several people walking by watched her curiously, some even giving a little snicker as they passed. Not that she could blame them, since at the moment she had all the appearance _of a guy _while being addressed otherwise by her idiotic colleague. That wasn't the only thing bothering her, though. Ran's left eyebrow twitched. "Oi, I do have a name…" Sighing in frustration, she pulled her cap further down to hide her embarrassment and pushed through the crowds, intent on visiting Kaito. Hopefully he of all people would have a solution to this problem…

-------------------------

"Unfortunately, Ran," Kaito said, his expression blank. "I don't have a solution to this problem." Ran sweatdropped.

"Come on, surely you know _something_," She pleaded, leaning forward. "Mom stole the Eagle's Eye right before she died. If she would've told anyone where she kept it, it would've been _you._ You have to know, Kaito-sensei."

Kaito interlaced his fingers on top of the table. "But that's just the thing," he whined with exasperation. "I hardly saw her after she stole it! We were too busy trying to stay away from each other so we'd have less of a chance of getting caught and killed. The Black Ops were after our asses something fierce-"

"Kaito!" Aoko scolded as she placed two cups of steaming hot tea on the table in front of him. "Watch your language."

He smiled sheepishly. "Sorry." Taking a sip of tea, Kaito sighed happily and then continued. "As I was saying… you have to remember, Ran-chan, that at that point we had been considered traitors to the organization. Everyone wanted us dead. She took a huge risk by even going after that thing, and then you expect her to take an even bigger risk by trying to share it with me? Eri did some stupid things in our days, but she'd never do something _that_ stupid."

Ran furrowed her eyebrows. "I don't understand."

"Put it this way, Ran-chan," Aoko said, sitting down beside her husband. "If Kaito didn't know where she hid it, he couldn't squeal if he got caught. She was trying to protect him." She turned to Kaito. "Right?"

Kaito shrugged. "Most likely. But I still would've ended up dead. I wonder if she considered that."

"But you wouldn't have been able to tell them where to find it," Ran suggested. "Which means her secret would be safe because of your ignorance. But, what I still don't understand is why she decided to carry that burden all by herself. If she had gotten caught and interrogated, wouldn't she have been put in the same position?" She looked into Kaito's eyes. "Surely neither of you is that mentally strong, that you could even withstand extreme torture without giving up information?"

"Everyone has a breaking point," Kaito said flatly, though he didn't try to elaborate. Next to him, Aoko bit her lip and glanced down at her hands.

"Well… maybe she knew she would be dead before they ever got the chance…"

The room fell silent. A tangible dread settled over the three occupants before it was promptly broken by Aoko's cat jumping up on to the kitchen table.

"Mizuki!" Aoko shouted. "Get down from there." Scooping up her pet, the woman took this moment to go feed her cat, though it really was an excuse to leave her husband and her surrogate daughter to talk alone. After her lecturing voice faded, Ran and Kaito continued on in silence for a long period. Ran stared down at her manicured yet somewhat still dry and dirty hands, while Kaito proceeded to sip his tea and nibble on the cookies his wife had also left on the table. The ticking of a clock could be heard in the background, along with the steady flow of traffic on the street below.

"Kaito," Ran mumbled. "This is it. The final stretch. It's now or never. We have to find Pandora now, or the Black Organization will find it first. I know it might be hard to think about the past, but I really need you to help me on this. I need to know where mom kept that gem, and you're the only one who I can ask." Ran waited. Kaito took so long to answer that she thought he didn't hear her, but right before she was about to repeat herself Kaito interjected.

"Ran, please don't insult my intelligence." Her eyes widened, and Kaito sighed. "I'm not as weak as you seem to think I am. I know how important this is, and despite my… personal issues with my past, you know I have no problem with shuffling through it all so I can help you and everyone else. If I knew anything at all that can help you, I'd gladly tell you. I don't care what demons it might dredge up." He winked to diffuse his own solemnity. "I'm made of stronger stuff than that."

Ran smiled weakly. "Sorry. How could I forget?"

Kaito snorted, throwing his hands up in exasperation. "Exactly! Anyway, I don't know anything else. I'm sorry. But, maybe we're missing something. I mean, I'm not the only person your mom trusted."

Ran's cocked her head. "Who else could there be?"

Kaito sucked his teeth. "Well, she trusted you, obviously. She loved you more than anything else. Maybe she told you something that was really a hint? Or maybe she hid the gem is hidden in one of your belongings?"

Ran slowly grinned and then laughed. "Kaito, that's it! Why didn't I think of that!?! I should go home right now and look-"

Kaito held up a hand, silencing her. "Wait, Ran. You're forgetting something else. Besides me and you, there's one other person she both loved and trusted with her life."

Frowning, Ran pondered. "Who else could it be? There's no one else, except… oh my god, you actually think it might be with my _**dad**_?!?"

Kaito raised an eyebrow. "Why's that such a shocker to you?"

"Just think about it, Kaito. You think my mom – a world class thief with a criminal organization after her head – is going to leave a priceless, inevitably deadly gem with someone like my dad – the recovering alcoholic, foul-mouthed, forgetful, perverted, is-generally-a-danger-to-all-that-is-right-and-good dad?!" Kaito and Ran stared at each other for a long moment, both struggling in vain to keep smiles off their faces. Finally Ran gave in, bursting out laughing with Kaito right behind her. They whooped and howled for five good minutes before their noises quieted to soft snickers and sighs.

"Ah, good point," Kaito said breathlessly, wiping a tear from his eye. "S-Still, I don't think you should discredit him just yet. After all, he is the last place the Black Organization would look, assuming they've never seen his… 'impressive' track record."

Ran giggled. "All right, all right. I'll try to get something out of him. But I severely doubt that I'll find anything. I don't even know how I'm going to be able to get him to talk without him getting suspicious."

Kaito shrugged. "Get him drunk first." He drew back from the very heated glare Ran gave him in return.

"That is _not_ going to happen."

The man laughed. "Well, if that's not a choice… I know this old concoction from my Black Ops days… you get some arsenic and some cayenne pepper-"

Ran narrowed her eyes.

Kaito smirked. "_Or_… you could dress me up like Yoko Okino, and _then _I get him drunk, and then he spills everything from his blood type to how many women he's fantasized about, and then… well, then he might try to jump my bones, and that would be highly inappropriate. I haven't had a gay affair since I've been married. I mean, he was pretty attractive in his younger days, but now he's still a chain smoker and I'm _so_ not into that." He laughed at his own crude joke, but when he looked over to Ran her expression was mischievous with a tinge of murder to it. Kaito coughed discreetly and pushed back his chair.

"…Should I start running now?"

Ran smirked. "Yes, yes you should."

And they were off. While Kaito and Ran wrestled on the living room carpet, Ran clearly winning, Aoko stood in the doorway, smiling. "See, my love?" She whispered affectionately. "You deserve to be happy, too…"

-------------------------

Gin sighed, and a stream of cigarette smoke escaped through his nose. Vodka watched him wearily, rolling his newly packed cancer stick between his thumb and index finger. Gin always pestered him mercilessly for it, but Vodka liked the idea of rolling his own cigarettes. That way, he could know with absolute certainty what was going in them. Working for an elite criminal organization tended to make you paranoid as hell.

"How much longer?" Vodka asked, lighting the stick and raising it to his lips.

"Wait," Gin replied simply, and Vodka knew that meant he didn't know. But God forbid he call the man on it – his brains would end up splattered all over the windshield.

"What, exactly, are we plannin' to achieve by doin' this?" Vodka persisted. "What're we trackin' the idiot kid for? He ain't Psiren – he probably don't know nothin'."

"If you were paying any attention to what we've been sayin' for the last _three goddamn days_," Gin hissed, and Vodka flinched imperceptibly, "the Boss has reason to believe that Kudo an' Kisaki are workin' together. Our sources say that both he an' that other kid - a Heiji Hattori – have been questioning several owners of the Mermaid prints."

Vodka's eyes widened behind his ray bans. "Shit, ya think they're on to us?"

Gin spat something yellow up and out the window. "Maybe. We haven't exactly been doin' this quiet-like. The Boss ain't interested in takin' his sweet ass time now. Even if they somehow figure out there's something goin' on, they won't be able to trace it back to us." He threw his cigarette out the car as well. "Now, as I was sayin'… there ain't no way that that kid should be lookin' for those prints. Even though we haven't been tryna hide it, it ain't been no media frenzy either. Somehow they must've connected the painting to the Psiren, and they're investigating. Whether or not Kudo is working with Margarita is in itself a moot point – whoever finds it first… we'll kill them an' take the thing for ourselves."

Vodka nodded, pleased. Even though Gin was the epitome of a heartless bastard, he was a tactical genius. Vodka was proud to call him his _aniki_… big brother. "But why haven't we gone after this guy already? He's awfully close to the base."

Gin shrugged. "This guy is a billionaire playboy. If he ended up dead or stolen from, the whole free world would know about it."

"I'm surprised he'd even give these kids the time of day, then."

Gin grunted in agreement. "Who knows? People like him are always after the extra attention. Goddamn Kudo an' Hattori are known all over Japan… and _shit, _there they are."

Both men swiveled their heads toward the entrance to the hotel, where Shinichi, Heiji, and several other unidentified men were seen exiting. Paparazzi - who just moments before had been idly scattered across the driveway - now sprang to life and snapped shot after shot of the elusive playboy and his high profile guests. As the camera bulbs flashed, both teenage detectives seemed to turn five shades darker in color. "Aww, lookit that," Gin drawled. "They're embarrassed."

Vodka cringed. "Shit, it _is _a media frenzy here. I'm getting antsy even from across the street..!" He jumped as he felt his partner's hand on his arm. Gin _never_ made an effort to touch anyone unless he had his hands around their neck, and even that was a rare occurrence. Gin didn't like to get his own hands dirty. That brought a momentary relief to Vodka; it meant he wasn't going to kill him now, but who knew what the unusual gesture meant-

"Look there," Gin said, pointing with his free hand towards Shinichi. "They actually got the motherfuckin' print."

Vodka's mouth dropped open. "Holy _fuck_…!"

"No shit."

The partners fell into silence as Gin turned on the ignition and shifted angrily into drive. "Aniki," Vodka murmured with trepidation. "Where are we going?"

"Where the fuck do ya think I'm goin'?" Gin muttered in reply, slamming his foot on the gas and pulling out onto the service street. The playboy and his teenage cohorts had been ushered quickly into a waiting limousine and were already blocks ahead of them. "Vermouth told me to keep an eye on those shitheads, an' I'm going to do it. We gotta find out how much they know. Maybe they haven't connected it to the Pandora yet and they don't know about the Eagle. An' if they do… well, we'll find out how far their knowledge goes, and then we'll take 'em out; nice and slow-like."

Slamming into the car door courtesy of another sharp turn from Gin, Vodka tried and failed to sputter out a response. "B-But, aniki! How close do you expect to get with those reporters an' cops all over the fuckin' place?!" Without responding, Gin reached behind him into the backseat and pulled out a brown paper bag from the floor. He offered it silently to Vodka. "What the hell-?" Hesitantly, Vodka took the bag and pulled it open, revealing a very familiar red and gray plaid sweater. "Aw, _fuck_."

Gin chuckled; another rare occurrence. "Hey," he said, smirking, "at least I get to keep my hat."

-------------------------

"And so I say, that's not a Shar-Pei, that's my mother!"

All the women giggled incessantly, but Heiji and Shinichi's expressions were blank. Really, what was this guy going on about? Heiji caught Shinichi's eyes across the small area separating both benches of the limousine, and he rolled his eyes dramatically. Shinichi smiled and snickered in response.

"So, Shin-kun…" Yukio Yuhara, heir to a famous computer software company, smiled sweetly at the teenager as he had his drink refilled. "I can call you Shin-kun, right? Of course! …So, what's it like being the most famous detective in Japan, and only in high school, no less?!"

Shinichi blushed as all eyes in the limo turned to him, including several outrageously beautiful women who looked like they wanted to eat him up for dinner. He gulped and licked his lips, managing to glare at Heiji (who was at this point snickering loudly) before finding the courage to answer Yukio's question. "Well, er… it's pretty great, actually. I mean, it's nice to know that I can help keep the public safe. I can't bring back the people who've already died, but I can help prevent more crimes from being committed by making sure the criminals get what they deserve." The women cooed in obvious admiration, and Shinichi blushed deeper, though he was smiling openly now. "Plus it's great having so many fangirls." The car filled with laughter at that.

Yukio grinned, filling his glass with yet more sake. "And he's funny to boot! Why, I'm sure every girl your age is madly in love with you… right, ladies?"

"YES!" They chorused, and Shinichi laughed nervously, scratching the back of his head.

"Well, I-"

"Although I'm sure we'd both love to stay here and chit-chat," Heiji interjected with a mild frown, "We have some important matters we have to discuss, Yuhara-han. I hope you don't mind us interruptin' your 'party time'". He tapped the print held in his lap for emphasis. It was wrapped in thick dark plastic to protect it from water and sun damage.

Yukio sniffed, annoyed about having his fun ended. "Of course not." He waved his hand casually. "Fire away."

Heiji narrowed his eyes. "Where did you buy the Mermaid's Retribution print from, Yuhara-han?"

"Please, call me Yuki. And, I don't know. I rarely purchase anything myself anymore. I have my attendants do it." He folded his arms. "I wanted something colorful and original to furnish my new apartment, so I asked my assistant Misako to find whatever she thought would suit my tastes. A little… archaic, that Mermaid print, but I felt it would do for the moment."

Shinichi gaped. "You bought a 20 million dollar painting… for _temporary _furniture?!"

Yukio shrugged, smirking. "When you're as rich as I am, you can afford to live lavishly!" His girlfriends clapped enthusiastically, and Heiji let out a loud groan which only Shinichi seemed to be aware of.

Shinichi cleared his throat, and the car fell quiet. "Yuhara-sa- I mean, Yukio. Perhaps you have some sort of financial records that would point us in the direction of the seller? Please, you have to think carefully on this. It is very important that we find out where you bought it from, so we can discover who may currently have the original Mermaid's Retribution painting." Heiji nodded his assent, leaning forward to stare Yukio directly in the eyes. The billionaire rubbed his wrist and looked away.

"I told you, Shin-kun - I don't know. I don't keep track of my spending; there's never been a need to. I don't know anything. If I did, I would tell you, but I don't, so I can't. I'm sorry that I can't be more of a help to you both, but I hope offering the print will be enough for now…"

Heiji and Shinichi were not convinced. "You're lying," Shinichi accused, and the women gasped. "You _do_ keep records of your finances, Yukio… the success of your business depends on it. As chief executive officer to your father's company, you have to keep track of everything that goes in and out of the company at all times, and that includes your own salary, since you are paid directly from its funds…"

"And," Heiji continued, "because of past accusations by your board of money launderin', you have to publicize your financial records on a fairly regular basis. Anyone who has stock in the company can view these records, and it just so happens that my father is an investor… since last week, that is." He smirked. "The largest expenses charged to your account recently are roundtrip tickets to several European nations and the United States. You never stayed long – just a few days – and then you moved right on to your next exotic destination. And when you were asked about the nature of your trip, you sighted the cause as _art dealing."_

"One truth prevails," Shinichi concluded, "and it's obvious to me, Yukio Yuhara, that you know a lot more than you let on. So why don't you make it easier for the three of us and just tell us what you know?" While his girlfriends looked around in surprise and confusion, Yukio stared down at his hands, which were interlaced in his lap. His expression was carefully blank, but finally he let the façade crumble and actually managed to smirk.

"I suppose there's a reason why you're the Great Detectives of the East and West," Yukio muttered, looking up at them. At first glance he seemed unrepentant, but to the detectives' keen eyes it was obvious that there was quite a bit of guilt attached to his actions. "Okay, you're right. I _do _know about where I got the print. And… I know about the original, too." He chuckled at the surprise on the boys' faces. "The person I bought that print from is a man named Gidayu Hosokawa. Really unpleasant bastard, but smart. As far as I know, _he's _the one who owns the original Mermaid's Retribution painting, but no one knew it but me. For a long time, he hid the original while secretly commissioning dozens of copies, and then he sold each print claiming it was the _real_ one. He made a big chunk of change from that, and because the Mermaid was pretty much legend at that point, no one had any prior knowledge to put the prints up against. And he got away with it all by swearing each buyer to secrecy… all of them were so scummy, anyway… they didn't want it to get out to the public that they were involved in illegal art deals, so it was pretty easy to keep all of their mouths shut. Yeah, that Gidayu is a genius-" Yukio seemed like he wanted to say more, but he stopped, looking back down at his hands while biting his lip.

Heiji frowned. "But, Yuhara-han… what do you have to do with all this? Why would you buy the copy knowin' all of this? How did you even know about Gidayu's plans?"

Yukio snorted. "The bastard told me himself." His eyes grew distant. "When I first bought it, I _didn't _know. That came later. When Gidayu approached me to sell off that copy, I was only interested because it was supposed to be the only one. As you can probably tell, I have a flair for the ostentatious." His girls shouted their fervent disagreement, but Yukio promptly shushed them and the car went quiet again. "Slowly, because I had so much money, Gidayu made me into his pet. Every time he had some fake of an allegedly famous painting made, he always came to me to try and sell it first. He knew how gullible and hungry for attention I was, and he used it to his advantage. I think I must've lost… God, I don't know… maybe 200 million from buying fake art crap from him? One day I was over at his place in Brazil, and he got real drunk. He confessed everything to me. _Everything_, and then he begged me not to tell. Of course I agreed – ratting him out would only get me condemned as well – but I kept that information in the forefront of my mind from that day on. Then in the last few weeks, when all these people ended up dying… I knew who they were right away. And I went to Gidayu, scared out of my mind. He told me that he didn't care about me, that he would stay safe because no one could trace the paintings back to him. He told me that he used a fake identity for everyone except me, only because he figured I'd be too _stupid_ to be suspicious." Yukio smiled sadly. "He had been crazy with anger and fear then… I don't believe he really meant all that. But I got him stinking drunk again and he told me where he kept it hidden. It's in one of his abandoned summer homes in China somewhere… don't ask me the exact location, because I don't know. And that's all I know, kiddies. Hope it's enough."

Shinichi nodded, relief written all over his face. "It's more than enough, thank you." He bowed low, which Yukio and Heiji imitated halfheartedly. The people in the cab lurched forward as the car came to a stop. "I guess… I guess this is our stop?"

Yukio nodded, smiling. "Actually, we've been at the train station for a while now – I imagine that Choshi was just parking somewhere more convenient."

Heiji looked out the deeply tinted windows, watching people move through the turnstiles on their way to their designated train. Pushing the door open, he scrambled out, careful not to bend the package still held protectively in his arms.

"Thanks again, Yuhara-san," Shinichi said as Choshi opened his door for him. Heiji almost wanted to be miffed about the favoring before he remembered that Shinichi was severely crippled. As he hobbled over to the sidewalk, Shinichi threw a grin and a wink over his shoulder. "Bye girls." The car came alive with shrill screams and enthusiastic whistles. Heiji rolled his eyes and hid his face in his hand.

Yukio got out as well, taking the time to shake each teen's hands. "Do not mention it detectives," he whispered. "Despite how it may incriminate me… I know you will put what I told you to good use. Even though I don't want to end up in jail… I don't want so many people killed either. I've committed some grave sins in my life, and I suppose that after all this time I need to finally pay for them."

Heiji shook his head. "No, we're not trying to have you arrested, Yuhara-han. All that's important is findin' out who's orchestratin' all of this, and your information will help a lot. Thanks a million."

Yukio nodded, smiling in relief. "It does my heart good to hear that, gentlemen. Please do what you can, and be careful. Also," he chirped, much cheerier than before, "if you even feel the desire to party with me and the girls, just give me a call and I'll come running! We'll go to Paris, Rome, New York… anywhere you like! The invitation is open for as long as I'm able to accommodate the two of you!"

Heiji and Shinichi laughed halfheartedly. "Thanks, Yukio…" Waving, Yukio scrambled back into his limo filled with beautiful and energetic women, and within moments the car was back in motion and cruising away.

"But what I don't get is," Heiji murmured, "Why was he travelin' so much recently? I mean, he didn't say anything about buyin' in the last few weeks, and that's what the records were from. From what he told us I get the impression that this arrangement lasted a lot longer than a couple of months… probably _years._"

"My guess is that he was going to pay his respects to the people who died," Shinichi replied, frowning in sympathy. "Even though he didn't cause any of it, I guess he still feels responsible because he invested so much time and money into the guy who sold the paintings to them…"

"Regardless," Heiji said with a wide grin. "We have some idea where the original painting is! All we have to do is cross references with the Psiren, do a little extra research, and we're home free!"

Shinichi smirked. "So what're we waiting for? Let's go!"

"Yes," Gin hummed from his spot leaning against a turnstile, his face partially obscured by an open newspaper. This was almost _too_ easy. "Let's."

-------------------------

"It's awfully quiet in here," Ran mumbled, flicking on the light to the spare bedroom. It was filled with boxes, all plainly marked and stacked almost to the ceiling. The air was stale and every step she took startled a thick layer of dust. No one used this room anymore; not since Eri had died. This had been her workshop – her home away from home; the one place she could go and experiment when she couldn't get to her warehouse. Remnants of the place it had once been were still scattered about – newspaper clippings featuring Eri Mouri, master magician; flash bombs deactivated from disuse; tubes of lipstick and even a pair of reading glasses. But now it was nothing but an extra grave for the woman that had left way before her time. All Eri's clothes and other belongings were packed tightly away in brown boxes with only the label "_Hers." _Stacked in the closet, however, were Ran's old things; keepsakes from her childhood that neither parent could bear to throw away. Even though Ran was tempted to go through her mother's stuff now simply for the memories they evoked, she knew that time was running out and she needed to do everything in her power to make sure Eri's last wish was fulfilled. She had to find the Eagle's Eye.

Letting out a sigh, Ran made her way to the window and yanked it open. The cool night air gave a welcome release from the staleness of the room, and even helped to unearth some of the dust. While Mother Nature worked her magic, Ran ventured over to the closet and brought box after box into the living room, where she would open and explore them. When it was all said and done, Ran had gathered ten full boxes in total, and had earned lungs full of dust and a sweat soaked shirt as a reward.

"Okay, Ran," she told herself, sitting down in front of the first box. "You're looking for anything out of the ordinary; anything that seems out of place in a toddler's belongings. Maybe something overly expensive looking or with green gems in it?" Taking out an X-acto knife, she slit the box top and pushed the folds up and out. "No, mom wouldn't make it that obvious… okay, then I guess it's just up to me to keep an eye open."

One by one, Ran pulled out toys, blankets, clothes, and miscellaneous baby memorabilia. Most of them seemed at least vaguely familiar, but close inspection revealed nothing out of the ordinary. As time went by, Ran opened box after box, observing and even occasionally taking notes, but no matter how imaginative she managed to be, she could discover nothing to help her find what she was looking for. And there were certainly no emerald-encrusted rattles or pacifiers among her belongings, either.

Just as she was about to give up and go to bed, the front door creaked open, and Ran looked up. In the light of the threshold stood her father, disheveled and tired as he usually was. Kogoro blinked owlishly at her and then let out an intelligible grunt that Ran perceived as a greeting before trudging over to the couch where he promptly collapsed. "Dad," Ran called softly. "DAD!"

Kogoro bolted upright. "_What?!?_" He glared mildly at his daughter over the head of the sofa. "Whadoyawant?"

"There's some food on the stove," she replied, her voice sugary-sweet. "I just finished cooking about thirty minutes ago, so it still should be relatively warm. I made your favorite."

Surprise transformed Kogoro's face. "Well… er, thanks." His voice was rough from a long day of drinking and smoking, but for some reason he didn't seem as inebriated as Ran was used to seeing him. Her father's eyes were glassy, yes, but Ran could still sense the sad intelligence underneath. Most times she had trouble even recognizing Kogoro as _human_ after one of his binges. _Maybe this would be a good time to talk to him, _Ran thought.

Kogoro sighed heavily, sitting up and regarding his daughter fully now. "What are you doing down there on the floor?"

Ran glanced down at the old, decrepit looking objects from her childhood, all lined up in a row. "Nothing," she murmured, blushing. "Just… going down memory lane, I guess." Kogoro nodded, hauling himself up and moving into the kitchen. Ran heard the sharp click of a beer can opening, and then the sound of her father gulping the frothy liquid down. Ran gulped herself as she realized she would probably have to lie in order to get anything out of her father now, and the idea didn't particularly appeal to her. Perhaps she had to lie to Shinichi or Heiji or even Sonoko, but she absolutely _hated_ having to lie to her dad. Watching him drink and smoke himself into an early grave was worse enough without her putting yet another nail in his coffin. "It's… not as… fulfilling as I thought it would be. I hardly remember any of this stuff." Ran heard Kogoro grunt. "I mean, I remember this little plushie lamb-" she held the toy up, which was a dirty yellow instead of the original white and missing an eyeball "-but this other stuff… I guess I wasn't into my toys much. All I remember are the fun times with the three of us… going to the park, having my fifth birthday at Tropical Land, meeting the Kudos, going to mom's magic shows…" She stopped, getting her to her feet as Kogoro appeared behind her. "Dad, can you tell me about mom?"

Kogoro furrowed his eyebrows, looking down at the can in his hands. "Why?" He said evasively, his voice slurred more than it was moments ago. "You weren't that little when she died. You were nine years old, Ran."

Ran nodded. "I know, but… I still don't remember the smaller things." _Liar_, she told herself. "As I get older, I can't remember so much about her. I can't remember her favorite color-" _Yellow. _"Or whether her eyes were blue or purple-" _Purple. _"Or what was her favorite thing she liked to cook." _She hated it all._

Kogoro laughed. "What the hell do you mean, what did she like to cook? She hated it, Ran, and she was horrible at it."

Ran managed to smile. "See? I don't remember all of that. I try to, but the things I remember… well, I don't know if they're real or I just wish they were. We never talk about her, Dad. It's almost like we're afraid to."

"It's not an easy thing to talk about," Kogoro mumbled, setting his plate down on the kitchen table. Sitting down, he rubbed anxiously at his arm and let out a belch. "What do you want to know? And where did this sudden interest come from, anyway?"

She bit her lip. "I… I just wanted to know, that's all. I think about her all the time." That, at least, was the truth.

Kogoro sighed, patting the spot next to him at the table. "Well don't just stand there! Sit down and ask me your darn questions already."

Doing so, Ran quickly blurted out: "Where did you and mom first meet?"

Kogoro blinked and then narrowed his eyes. "I thought this was just about Eri," he murmured suspiciously.

"It is, it is!" Ran assured him. "But, you two were like high school sweethearts, right? So you and she are directly connected."

Her father grunted. "'Sweethearts' is puttin' it nicely. We hated each other." He took a sip of his beer. "We fought all the time, over the dumbest stuff. I complained that she wore too much makeup, she said I was too perverted and rude. I said she was too bossy, she said I was too full of myself… it went on and on since we were kids, maybe elementary school age. Our parents were good friends, so we grew up together. And even though we claimed to hate each other's guts, we were always there for each other." Kogoro smiled a little at that.

Ran smiled back. "So, what changed?"

Kogoro shrugged. "We both grew up, I guess. When we were seniors in high school, somehow I realized that I didn't hate her, I loved her. But just before I was about to tell her so, she told me that she was going abroad to study in England. Damn woman… broke my poor insecure heart into pieces that day." He blushed, ashamed to admit such weakness to his daughter, but somewhat motivated by the liquor buzzing in his system. "Took me years to get over it."

Ran patted his hand in sympathy, but Kogoro grunted and pulled away. "How did you? Get over it, I mean?"

Kogoro chuckled. "She came back. After four years, she suddenly appears in Beika with this big ass smile on her face. Said that she gave up being a lawyer to work as a magician, and she'd never been happier. We went out to dinner and talked and laughed about the past, and then suddenly, we're dating. Next thing I know, she's down on her knee proposing to _me_!" Kogoro looked aghast.

Ran's eyes widened and she pulled back to stare at her father, grinning. "_No way!_"

Kogoro nodded. "Yeah, I was shocked too. But I said yes for some reason." He was grinning too, now. "Bought me this fancy engagement ring and everything." He hiccupped. "She got down on her knees in front of the whole restaurant and said: _"You're the biggest idiot in the world Kogoro Mouri, and I love you. Marry me, damnit!_" And then we both laughed and I said yes and suddenly we're both on the floor making out… shit, I think the manager had to call the cops just to get us-"

"_THANK YOU, _Dad!" Ran shouted, blushing as she covered her eyes. "That's enough. Just… tell me about when I was born."

"You…" Kogoro looked Ran in the eyes, and his expression was lit with drunken bliss. "You were the best thing to happen to us, Ran, and I mean that." Ran gasped at the sincerity in his voice and eyes. "When the doctor brought you to us all cleaned up, your mom busted into tears. She kept saying over and over, _"my baby, my beautiful little baby"_ and I thought she was going crazy from all the drugs they injected into her, but really, she was just happy." He grinned. "You're all she talked about for months. You're lucky I'm not the jealous type." Both of them laughed at that.

"What…" Ran frowned as she watched Kogoro finish the rest of his beer and open another one. "What about… when she died?" Kogoro stared at her. "I mean… what do you remember about right before she died? Maybe like a week before?"

Kogoro stared at his beer for a long time, licking his lips. "Well…" He glanced at Ran, then away. "I don't know, maybe I'm just imagining things…"

Ran leaned forward, squeezing her father's hand tightly. "What is it, Daddy?" She whispered. "What do you remember? Please, tell me." When it seemed like Kogoro wouldn't say anything: "I promise I won't laugh. You weren't imagining things, whatever it was."

Kogoro squeezed back. "Well, the week before she died, Eri just seemed… off. Her mind seemed someplace else. She would forget little things, like picking you up after school, or leaving the kettle on, or to wear matching socks. She always looked so tired, and she stared off into space a lot. And then the night before… the night before she died, she was staring at _me _a lot. And you, too. And right before I was about to go to sleep and she was about to leave for work, she told me: _'You know I love you, right?'_ I tried to ask her what she meant, and why she was acting so strange, but then she got pissed at me and accused me of being cruel, because why can't a wife tell her husband that she loves him just because?" He took a deep breath. "So she left, and the next morning she still wasn't back and so I took you to school. When I came home so I could get myself ready for work, I saw her sitting on the couch, looking really sick and pale. She asked me, do you know where your wedding ring is? And I said yes, it's on my finger, but when I looked down it wasn't there. And then Eri was smiling and holding up my ring, and she threw it to me. _'You need to be careful with that, you know,'_ she said. _'It's a symbol of our marriage. It proves that no matter how much we argue, there's still a glimmer of hope.' _And then she got up and walked over and kissed me, and told me she loved me, and that she was sorry she yelled at me last night. I told her that she was batshit crazy, and then she laughed, and I laughed too, 'cause I was just happy to see her act herself again." Kogoro wiped his nose with his shirt sleeve.

Tears were falling in quick succession down Ran's cheeks. "And then what?"

Kogoro glared. "What do you mean, and then what? She died. She left after that and never came back. When I finally went looking for her, she had been impaled and dead for hours in one of her and that damn Kaito's warehouses. An accident, the detectives said. _Bullshit_. I know that's not true."

Ran's eyes widened. "You do?!?"

Kogoro nodded. "Hell yes. Don't tell nobody, but I did some researchin' of my own. There's no way that was an accident. Someone killed your mother. Someone killed her, and I'm going to find that sonuvabitch and strangle the life out of him…"

"Oh, Daddy…"

Kogoro slammed his fist into the table, knocking his can over and rattling the serving utensils. Beer and food flew everywhere. "I swear I will, Ran! I'm not going to let some hot headed punk tear my family apart! You're all I have left now, and I'm not going to let anyone take you away from me!"

Ran jumped to her feet. "Daddy, what are you talking about? I'm not going anywhere!" She put her hands on his shoulders. "You need to calm down… maybe you should go lay down now…"

Kogoro shook his head. "No… I ain't gonna let that damn Kudo kid take my little girl away…"

Ran smiled sadly. "Trust me, dad, Shinichi's got his own problems to deal with. He doesn't need me." She hauled him up to his feet. "Come on, go to bed now… and thank you for telling me all of this. I know it was hard for you." Her father sniffed but said nothing as she led them slowly down the hall and into his bedroom, where Kogoro laid down on his futon, murmuring nonsensical phrases up until the moment he fell fast asleep. Ran stood in the doorway for a long time just watching him before she finally made her way back to the living room and the gigantic mess that she and her father had made. She sighed. Although what she had found out from her father had been extremely enlightening, nothing Kogoro had said pointed to the emerald. So what _now?!?_

Plopping down on the couch, Ran leaned back and closed her eyes. It would've been peace and quiet if not for the distant and very annoying vibrating of something down the hall. What was it?

"My phone?" Ran guessed, cracking an eye open. "No, my phone is never on vibrate… and it's always in my purse…" She bolted upright. It couldn't be…!?

Ran dashed to her bedroom and flicked on the lights. On top of her dresser was a black and red cell phone, moving slowly across the surface from the strength of the vibrations. Only a handful of people even had that number… She hesitated for a moment before picking up her- no, _Psiren's_ cell phone and hitting send. Lifting the receiver to her ear, she cleared her throat and answered in a mature, thief-like voice: "Hello?"

"Yo!" Heiji said cheerfully, and Ran relaxed. "Where the heck have you been?! I've been callin' this damn number for hours, an' you never picked up."

Ran immediately thought of the long conversation with her father, and her mood dampened. "Ah… sorry," She purred, though her heart wasn't in the charade today. "I was just tidying myself up for our next meeting, tantei-san. You know how I love to look good for you." Ran smirked a little, as she could just imagine the boy's blush. "It's awfully late, Hei-chan. What is so important? You know this line is only for emergencies, correct?"

"Of course I know that!" Heiji snapped. "You told me that yourself! Look, I - yeah, Kudo, I'm tellin' her! – Me and Kudo found out something interesting today. We figured you'd want to know as soon as we did. Are you alone?"

Ran's eyes slid over to the door. She could see the beer and food splatters from all the way over here. No, she wouldn't have to worry about being interrupted for a while yet. "Yes, Hei-chan, I'm alone. What's going on?"

"We found out where the Mermaid is!" Heiji shouted excitedly, and it felt like a stab to the gut. Ran leaned against her dresser for support.

"_What?!?" _

There were sounds of a scuffle on the other line, and then Shinichi's voice continued where Heiji had left off. "That guy we interrogated… Yukio Yuhara? He knows the guy who has the original painting! Some guy named Hosokawa… Apparently, he has it hidden in his summer home in China. We don't know exactly where yet, but we figure it won't take too much more research to find that out. At least now we know that the Organization doesn't have it, ne?"

Her hands clenched around the phone and the edges bit into her skin. "Y-Yes, that's true. I'll ask my teacher immediately for his help. I just know that he'll be able to pinpoint the location for us."

She could just see Shinichi nodding. "Okay, great. Just be careful, and don't actually go after the thing until we can get together and talk about it. We might need some backup for this… We're not quite home yet, so we'll meet you at our usual place tomorrow at noon. And, hey… you sound weird. Are you okay?"

Ran closed her eyes, tears spilling down her face. "Yes, I'm great, Shinichi," she whispered, not even bothering to hide her excitement now. "I didn't get much information on the Eagle, but it seems like now I won't have to. It seems like this madness may finally be close to being over, and I'm definitely happy about that."

"Yeah," Shinichi said, his own voice teeming with joy. "Me too. And hey, don't worry about the emerald. One step at a time, right?"

"Yeah," Ran murmured, snapping the phone shut and placing it on the desk. She slid down to the carpet and buried her face in her hands. "One step at a time."

-------------------------

"We've found it!" Vermouth laughed, hugging Vodka to her breast. The poor man sputtered in embarrassment but made no move to pull away. "Finally, the Mermaid's Retribution is within our grasp! And it's all because of those two wonderful detective boys… who knew that keeping Cool Guy and Margarita alive would be such a benefit?!" She released Vodka, who sunk to his knees and gasped for air. She grinned, facing her captivated audience. "First, we let them interrogate Yukio Yuhara, who we couldn't get to because of his billionaire status. If we took the time to interrogate him and it was found out he didn't know anything, we'd have to kill him, and that would create more of a trail than even the Boss is willing to make right now." She nodded. "If we had stolen from him, we would've had similar results. But! If Cool Guy wants to talk to a billionaire, who will be suspicious? No one! This is almost too easy!" Her laughter grew hysterical. "And then, he actually gets the print and finds the location of the original painting! What a talent, that boy! And we know of all of this thanks to the stealth of our two elite, Gin and Vodka." There was a thunderous applause, which made Vodka blush but which Gin hardly responded to. "They tailed our two detectives for the whole day, and were even able to wiretap a conversation between Shinichi, Heiji, and… you guessed it, _Margarita!_ This just keeps getting better and better, doesn't it folks?"

Rum grinned. "So what do you want to do know, Boss?"

Vermouth gestured to a body tied up beside her. "We need to make some adjustments. You see, it would be _awful_ to have those kids go all the way to China… when there's nothing there." She turned to a spot on the wall, occupied by the newly acquired Mermaid's Retribution painting. "It's oh-so gratifying to be a part of an international crime syndicate, isn't it? It means that when we get a hold of valuable information, no matter what area of the globe it pertains to, we'll always be the ones who come up on top." There was more wild applause. "Now, now, calm down. I'm not finished. So, in order to save our dear friends from the trouble of having to pay for roundtrip air tickets, we're going to make gaining the 'real' painting more convenient. And the person who's going to help us do that is none other than Mr. Yukio Yuhara himself."

Yukio shivered. Those eyes… god, he'd never seen eyes so full of hatred and anger… so full of bloodlust. But they didn't wanted _his_ blood; that is, only if he did what they wanted him to do. He _really_ wanted to do what they wanted him to do; he didn't want to die. But… if he did obey, those poor kids would die. Shinichi Kudo and Heiji Hattori were good kids, weren't they? Wise beyond their years, and full of compassion for the common people. They helped save the world, and all he had ever done was look out for himself. Maybe he didn't _want _to die, but they didn't _deserve _it. He should sacrifice himself now; it would be the right thing to do. But in the end, who was Yukio Yuhara? A coward, that's who. Staring down the barrel of a gun, seeing his poor friends and family tied up as well… it made a man weak. If he gave them up, if he did what these men in black wanted him to do… he'd be home free. Or would they just get what they wanted from him and kill him anyway?

"I promise you, Yuki-chan," Vermouth purred, rubbing her nose against his cheek. It made him want to vomit. "Just do this one little thing for us, and you'll be home free. I'll set everyone free… your girlfriends, your parents, your servants. Everyone. Just make one little phone call, and you'll be free to go on with your fabulous life."

Yukio blinked his eyes innocently. "You… you really mean that?" He whispered. "Please… whatever you do, don't kill my family. They… this isn't their fault! They're not the ones who messed up! _I _did. Please, just let them go, and I'll do whatever you-"

Yukio screamed as the butt of Vermouth's gun slammed into his face, breaking his cheekbone. Blood and mucus flowed freely from the cuts on his face, and his eyes stung with unshed tears.

"You've forgotten who's calling the shots here," Vermouth growled. "You don't get to tell me what _I'm_ going to do. There are no compromises. Make the goddamn call, and everyone is free to go. Refuse, or make another dipshit comment like that, and everyone dies. Including your beloved niece Kanna." Yukio's eyes widened in horror. "I see that's made you reconsider. Now, are you going to cooperate or do I have to hit you again?"

Yukio hung his head. "I'll do it," he whispered, and the air filled with his family's protests. "I'll make the call." Before he could blink an eye, a ringing cell phone was pressed up to his bleeding ear.

"Don't do anything stupid," Rum snarled, holding the phone. Yukio nodded.

"Hello?" A young man's voice answered the phone, obviously just waking up. "Who is this?"

"H-Hi, Shin-kun," Yukio said with fake cheer. His voice sounded congested from all the blood clotting in his nose. "I just called about that… that thing I told you earlier today?" _Shit_, his whole body hurt… "I made a mistake, I'm sorry. Hosokawa's summer house with the 'item' in it isn't in China. It's right here in Japan, in Nagoya. You have to forgive me… Gidayu has so many summer houses, I guess I got them confused!" He laughed, and the sound hurt his own ears. "So… please don't go to China. I'd hate for you to… to waste your time."

"What?! Are you sure?" Shinichi sounded doubtful. "Is there something wrong, Yukio-"

The gun pressed into his back. "You better make it convincing," Rum mouthed to him.

"No, no! Nothing's wrong. I'm coming down with a bit of a cold." Yukio was crying now. "It's… cold season, ya know? Shin-kun, that's all I called for. I want you to take care, all right? And remember that my offer still stands: for you and that wet blanket friend of yours!"

Shinichi laughed. "Yeah, okay. I'll remember. Thanks a lot for everything, Yukio."

"You too," Yukio chirped, and then Rum snapped the phone shut. The man sobbed as he was yanked up and pushed practically into his family's laps, who were cowering tied up in a corner. "Thank you… for trying to save me," He whispered. "Thank you, and I'm sorry."

"Put them on the plane," Vermouth barked. "Their family trip to Aspin will continue as planned, only they're going to encounter some… turbulence on the way there."

"No!" Yukio shouted, his face ashen. "NO! You promised!"

Vermouth slid her eyes toward him. "I don't make promises." With a wave of her hand, five operatives shot and killed every one of the Yuhara clan, Yukio last among them. The thunderous roar continued even after the deed was done.

"So, Vermouth," a young man said, walking up to stand beside his superior. He had soulful gray eyes and straight black hair done up in a slick ponytail. His skin was that of porcelain – smooth and unbelievably pale. "What do we do about the Eagle's Eye, if we go through with killing them?"

Vermouth grinned, facing the man. "I'll leave that little conundrum to you, Cognac." She cupped his face in her hands and kissed him. "You'll be there waiting for them in Nagoya, and leave Margarita that little present we made for her. And then I'll leave you in charge of deciphering the painting in order to find the Eagle's Eye. One cannot exist without the other, after all, and so clues to the emerald's whereabouts must be in that piece somewhere."

Cognac's eyes widened comically. "You're leaving all of this to me, Boss?" He whispered disbelievingly. "I am touched."

Vermouth kissed him full on the lips. "As you should be." She massaged his cheek until she forced out a smile. "You're my one and only little pet, Cognac my dear." With that, she walked away, and with all the other operatives busy with other matters, Cognac was left to himself.

"Yes," He purred. "You're _only_ little pet." He twiddled the knife in his hands. "I wonder what you would say to that, Shuji?" His eyes narrowed to mere slits. "But don't worry; I won't be so easy to throw away."

-------------------------

Kogoro awoke hours later with an unbearable pain in his gut. His heart was racing a mile a minute and his shirt was dripping with sweat. "Must've had a bad dream," he told himself, trying to shake away the pain but regretting it when it forced up a headache. Shit, he was already getting a hangover. Perfect. And yet, crummy as he was feeling, Kogoro had the overwhelming desire to call for Ran, hold her close, and never let her go. He couldn't remember exactly what had made him feel this way, but the emotion was persistent. Something big was about to happen; he could almost taste it. Listening to the loud thumping of his own heart, Kogoro could conclude two things about whatever it was: It involved his daughter, and it wasn't anything good.

"God, watch over her, will ya?" He asked, rubbing at the stabbing pain in his neck. "I don't care which one; any of you will do." He couldn't explain why, but the world was shifting, and it wasn't something he could control anymore. He didn't believe he ever could control it, but now Kogoro knew he couldn't keep the façade up anymore. Sighing, he stripped down to his boxers and collapsed back upon his futon. In the dim light flooding in from the hallway bathroom, Kogoro watched his golden wedding band cast shimmering lights across the wall.

"Eri, I _do_ know how important this is," He insisted, though he removed it and set it on the short table beside him. "A glimmer of hope, I get it. But what good is hope anymore if you're gone?" Kogoro yawned and closed his eyes, and as he was drifting off he watched the lights on the wall continue to dance; his own personal light show.

And among the golden rays were bands of green.

XXXXXX

**A/N: **Ugh. I made a very stupid mistake these past few chapters, which I have recently corrected. The skyscraper that Conan was killed on was written as being Tokyo Tower, but the heist took place in _Osaka._ xD Duh Ayriel, what a genius you are. I have changed all instances that were previously referred as Tokyo Tower to Phoenix Tower, which – to my credit – actually is a skyscraper in Osaka and is nowhere in Tokyo. However, for the sake of not making any more mistakes, I'm not going to define my Phoenix Tower as the same as the real one. Sorry for that, folks! Please, if you notice any continuity, spelling, or grammar errors in my stories don't hesitate to complain to me about it. I can take it, I promise. xD

Also, there's a poll on my profile in regards to whether or not there should be a sequel. I have some vague ideas already, but whether I do it or not depends on you guys! So, vote! :D The poll will stay up until the story ends! No Omake this time. I think I'm going to make it every other chapter for now on. Sorry!

…Do you think this story is bad enough to be rated M? It's really getting (even more) dark…

Next time, on "**Don't Play by the Rules**,": Heiji, Shinichi, and Psiren go to Nagoya to retrieve the painting, not knowing that someone sinister is pulling the strings… Ran is forced to make a difficult decision when a serious injury causes a need for aid from an old friend… what will Shinichi do, when he meets Kaito in a different set of circumstances?


	14. Merciless

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Detective Conan.

-------------------------------------------

**Don't Play by the Rules**

Chapter Twelve: Merciless

Kaito sighed noisily as he tinkered with another smoke bomb. How he longed to be in bed right now, snuggled up next to his beautiful wife! And yet, here he was. It was maddening really, being a slave to your obligations. Kaito should be enjoying his golden years right about now; living it up as a forty-year old sans kids should. He should be backpacking through Europe, sampling fine wine in Italy, or going on safari in Africa… God knew he had the money. But what was he stuck doing at four in the morning? Making new gadgets for a seventeen - soon to be eighteen - year old thief. Kaito let out a sigh. Things could be worse, he supposed.

"Damn, I really need a vacation," he murmured, popping open the back of one of Ran's radio transmitters. His eyes slid over to a point to the left and behind him. "And," he said louder, "a pupil who doesn't break into my house and try to sneak up on me, knowing that I could break both her legs with my hands tied behind my back." Kaito chuckled as he heard Ran sigh.

"Damn you, Kaito-sensei," she mumbled, walking over and plopping down in the chair opposite him. Kaito raised his eyebrows at what she was wearing – her full phantom thief costume. Tired blue eyes stared out at him through a snow white mask.

"Going somewhere?" He asked.

"Soon," Ran said evasively, and Kaito didn't push the issue. She wiped sweat soaked bangs out of her eyes. Once again, Kaito was surprised to notice that not only was she dressed for her job, she was breathing hard and perspiring as well. Apparently she had run (or flown, as the case may be) all the way here. Something serious was going on, or at least about to go on. A naturally curious Kaito wanted all the details, but he knew that Ran would tell him when she was ready.

"You know, I was just thinking," Kaito began. "You'll be eighteen in a few months." He turned to face her. "That's big, Ran-chan. You'll be an adult."

Ran pasted on a smile. "Yeah," she whispered, her eyes going distant. "Shinichi's birthday just passed, too."

"Really? He didn't seem to notice."

Ran snickered. "He never does. He's the worst when it comes to remembering his own birthday. It's May 4th every single year, and yet he always forgets..." She folded her arms behind her head, staring up at the ceiling. "Wow, we're going into the second month… I can't really blame him for forgetting his birthday this year."

Kaito frowned, and his eyebrows furrowed together. "Yeah, I guess so." He reached over, brushing Ran's face gently with a fingertip before tilting her chin up to face him. "How are you holding up, Ran?"

Ran smiled softly. "Better. It… it still hurts. But it's easier now that I know we can do something. We can stop this, Kaito, and that makes me happy enough to get by." She hauled herself up to her feet, and Kaito's hand dropped into his lap. "Kaito… how quick do you think you can get me to Nagoya?"

Ah. So that was why she was dressed in phantom thief garb. Kaito stared at his pupil for a long time, noticing the steely determination in her expression. He sighed, rubbing his eyes. "If we go now? Less than half an hour." He gazed up at her with consternation. "I know I'm not going to like the answer but… why?"

Ran smirked. "That's where the painting is - that's what I raced over here to tell you. Find the residence of a guy named Gidayu Hosokawa, and then take me there. And do it quick; there's no telling if the Black Organization will get there first."

"Pushy," Kaito whined, and then he groaned and got up from his chair, presumably to go to his computer and search for the information Ran wanted. "So… you know you're going to have to tell me the story behind all of this."

Ran sat in the chair Kaito had just vacated. "Heiji and Shinichi questioned a guy who knows Gidayu," Ran began. "This guy, Yukio Yuhara – you know him? – He said he knew that Gidayu has been doing underhanded art dealings, including making illegal copies of the Mermaid's Retribution. After hearing about all the killings occurring lately, Yukio was eager to get what he knew off his chest. Gidayu has a house in Nagoya where the original painting is being held. According to Shinichi, Yukio seemed to be adamant about the fact that no one else knew. And that," She said with her smile widening, "is that."

"Hmm." Kaito brushed his countless equipment out of the way and sat his laptop gently on his desk. He scratched his chin thoughtfully. "Interesting."

Ran frowned. "You don't seem very enthused."

Kaito blew out a breath, which stirred his bangs slightly. "One thing I've always known to be true, Ran-chan, is that things aren't always what they appear. Sometimes it's better just not to get your hopes up."

Ran snorted. "But… you're a cynical bastard, Kaito."

Kaito cracked a grin. "True, true. BUT… if it weren't for me being a cynical bastard, I probably wouldn't still be alive."

Ran chuckled. "Touché."

Kaito typed a mass of text on to his computer, and then hit enter. After scrolling and clicking for a few minutes, he let out a disbelieving grunt. "Damn, that was almost too easy," He mumbled, incredulous. "This whole thing strikes me as being too easy. Gidayu Hosokawa _does_ have a summer home in Nagoya, though it's not highly publicized. He has it under an alias: Yukio Arakawa. Not much of a stretch, all things considered."

"But this is a _good _thing, Kaito! No, it's great! We know where the painting is, and now no more people have to die."

Ran's mentor turned and looked at her for a long time. His eyes were sad. "You… you're just-" Kaito shook his head and sighed. "Never mind." ´_You're still so naive,' _he thought to himself, and in all actuality, he valued that quality in her. At least it meant she wouldn't turn into a cynical old bastard like he was currently. At least that meant she'd never seen all the horrible things he had, with the exception of Conan dying. She didn't know the five surefire ways to kill someone, or the pain and pleasure of slitting someone's neck with just the flick of a blade. She still didn't know the true pang of regret, and as long as Kaito still had breath left in his body, he would do everything in his power to keep it that way. "You know what I think, Ran-chan?" Kaito chirped, his sorrow tucked away in to the back of his mind where he was used to having it. "Before you go out and save the day, I think it's a good idea to go visit Shinichi."

Ran cocked her head in confusion. "What, now? For what?"

"No, not now." Kaito gestured to her clothes. "Not while you're dressed as Psiren, but later. Go see him as yourself, and wish him a happy birthday. He probably needs some cheering up at this time of year, now that he's short a brother and all."

Ran gaped. "But _now_?! Kaito, we've just found out the location of the Mermaid, and you honestly want me to-"

"High school is the last chance you have to really be a kid and enjoy yourself," Kaito interjected. "You're already a lot more mature than other kids because of your… _night job_, but that doesn't mean you have to miss out on _everything_. Go over to your best friend's house… bake him a cake or something. You both need to take a load off and stop being so damn serious all the time."

Ran pouted. "I'm not serious _all_ the time."

Kaito appeared dubious. "When's the last time you did something teenage girl like? When's the last time you and Shinichi watched a soccer game together, or you and Sonoko went to the movies?"

Ran looked away. Truthfully, she _didn't know._ The last time she had spent any quality time with Shinichi as herself had been at Conan's funeral, and no one could say that it was a particularly positive occasion. With Sonoko, it was even worse. Ran had been keeping her distance ever since the dreadful incident in Osaka, and ever since Sonoko declared to the world that she no longer valued Psiren as a hero, but as a bloodthirsty criminal. It was hard to get over things like that, _especially_ when your best female friend said them. Still, Ran felt guilty. "Why does it even matter?"

Kaito printed out a dozen or so papers using his wireless connection, and then he proceeded to stack them and staple them together. "It matters," he said, "because eighteen marks the end of an era. Once this is all said and done, you're going to look back and come to regret pushing all your friends and family away. The world will be somewhat peaceful again – hopefully – and you'll have no one to share it with. You have to be careful, Ran-chan. I know you're going through a lot right now, and I don't blame you for handling it the way you are, _but…_ you can't carry the whole world's burden on your shoulders. Let me take most of that; I'm made of older, tougher stuff than you are."

Ran smiled a little. "So… you'll watch the painting for me?"

Kaito nodded. "Of course. I'll leave the actual getting up to you, but I should make sure everything's safe before you go."

The smile on Ran's face slipped. "You actually think something bad is going to happen?"

Kaito shook his head. "No, no… just being overly cautious. I'm a cynical bastard, right?"

Ran visibly relaxed. "Yes, yes you are." She stood from her chair, walking over to Kaito to give him a kiss on the cheek. "But I love you anyway."

Kaito stuck out his tongue and wiped the wetness from his face. "Yuck."

Ran laughed. "Whatever; you know you like it." Her hair, still wet, hung over her shoulder like a thick curtain drape. "I think I will go to see Shinichi later, actually." She blushed. "I just hope it doesn't… well, you know."

Kaito chuckled "Well, I guess I'd rather see you worried over the state of your relationship with your boyfriend than seeing you all despaired over the end of civilization as we know it."

Ran narrowed her eyes. "He's not my-" She squeaked in indignation as Kaito ushered her towards the front door.

"Okay, thanks for stopping by! Bye now, Ran-chan! Remember to brush your teeth between meals!" His company gone and the sound of Ran's hissed cursing fading, Kaito allowed the small smile on his face to fall. He slumped against the door and covered his face with his hands. "_Please_ let me be wrong about this…" He groaned out. This ache he felt… let it just be his imagination…

-------------------------------------------

The sun was just clearing the horizon when Shinichi got an excited knock on his front door, which he only realized due to his parents complaining about it. He yawned and rolled over, looking over at the clock that read 6:30 AM. Whoever was at the door better be selling some amazing merchandise, because otherwise-

"Ran-chan! What a surprise."

Shinichi bolted upright, accidentally bumping his broken leg against one of his bed posts. Happily, though, he noted that the pain was minimal – after two months, his leg was finally on the road to recovery. Paired with some physical therapy, it wouldn't be too much longer before he was fully walking again.

He heard footsteps moving up the stairs. "Shin-chan?" His mother called softly. "Are you decent? I've got Ran with me."

Shinichi looked down in dread at his blue silk pajamas. It wasn't exactly what he wanted to be wearing around company, especially of the female variety. "Yeah," he said with a sigh. "I'm dressed." His door opened a little, and two heads poked through. Yukiko seemed excited despite the bags under her eyes, but Ran was obviously embarrassed. _'Uh-oh,'_ Shinichi thought immediately, though he pasted on a smile nevertheless. "Hey, Ran! Been awhile since I've seen your face around here."

Ran blushed and stared down at her feet. "Yeah, well… a lot has been going on." She pushed the door all the way open and stood in front of him in a pair of jeans and an emerald green T-shirt. She had a large box wrapped in foil in her hands, and Shinichi frowned in confusion.

"Ran, what's that? And why aren't you wearing your school uniform?"

"I'm not going to school today," Ran replied flatly, shrugging. "Doctor's appointment." The coincidence disconcerted Shinichi – he wasn't going to school today, either, but because he wanted to go over his plan with Heiji and Psiren before they executed operation 'Steal the Mermaid's Retribution'. He decided not to say this aloud, however, out of disinterest in explaining anything in detail to either Ran or his parents, who still didn't know the full story about what had happened that fateful night. He figured this was as good a time as ever to go to his father for advice, however. Yusaku Kudo was probably the only person Shinichi readily acknowledged as being more intelligent than himself. Yukiko often had a habit of besting him in terms of wits as well, but Shinichi preferred not to think about that.

Shinichi repeated his earlier question. "What's in the box?"

Ran giggled. "You're birthday present, silly!"

Yukiko gasped. "That's right! It _was_ your birthday on Monday! Forgive me, Shin-chan – with everything going on, I completely forgot about it…"

"It's okay, mom. It's no big deal." Shinichi laughed. "If it makes you feel any better, I forgot about it too."

"_You always forget your birthday!"_ Yukiko and Ran shouted at the same time, and then they looked at each other and laughed. "Well," Yukiko said with a tiny smile, "I won't keep you. I'll be in the kitchen making coffee if you need anything." With that Yukiko departed, careful to shut the door behind her, which both Ran and Shinichi thought to be awkward and extremely unnecessary.

"Um…" Ran said.

"Uh…" Shinichi replied, blushing.

Finally, Ran laughed. "Wow, look at us. This is so stupid. We've known each other all our lives and _now_ we want to get all awkward."

Shinichi smiled and shook his head. "Yeah, I guess you're right."

"So… I got you a gift for your birthday," Ran mumbled, blushing harder as she walked over and sat on the edge of the bed. She pushed the box towards him. Skeptical, Shinichi began opening it. Ran raised her voice over the increased noise of the foil ripping. "It's The Sign of Four," she told him, not surprised by the bewilderment on his face. "I know you already have it, but the copy you have is falling apart from all the times you've read it. Plus, this one is the deluxe edition. It's supposed to have deleted scenes or something, with an interview with Doyle at the back. It took me forever to find it." Ran twiddled her thumbs and waited.

"Wow, really?!" Shinichi grinned. "Thanks, Ran! I really appreciate it!"

Ran relaxed. "I thought… well… a lot has been going on, you know? And we haven't been as close as we used to be. I miss it."

Shinichi nodded, his face solemn. "Yeah, me too."

"Look Shinichi," Ran was careful to maintain eye contact, though it seemed to be a struggle. She sucked in a breath. "If… if I offended you before, I apologize. I didn't mean for it to blow out of proportion like that."

"Ran, what are you talking about?"

"That kiss," She blurted out. "When I kissed you in your kitchen a month ago, I didn't mean to cause problems. It just… _happened_. And, I knew that you were dating Kimiko, and that we were best friends and that we weren't… _like that_, but I did it anyway…"

"Not anymore," Shinichi mumbled.

Ran turned to him. "What?"

"Kimiko and me. We aren't dating anymore, Ran."

"Oh," Ran squeaked in surprise, feeling even more awkward than she had just minutes ago. "Well… can I ask why?"

He shrugged. "We wanted different things, I guess. She… wanted something I couldn't give her, and the relationship couldn't survive the change. It's more of my fault, I think. She wanted more of a commitment from me than I was willing to give." He looked right into her eyes, his expression sad but determined. "I have to solve my brother's murder, Ran. Nothing else can matter right now."

"Oh," Ran whispered. "I see." How foolish of her, to think that Shinichi could grow to love her after getting rid of Kimiko. Life was seldom that simple. She should've known that better than anyone. "Look, Shinichi… even if you never think the same of me as I think of you, I'll always be here." She put her hand on his. "We're still best friends, right? I understand that you're busy fighting for justice, and you can't give me all your time anymore. That's fine. I want you to catch Conan's killer just as much as you do."

"Good," Shinichi said, his eyes narrowed as he turned to look out the window. The sky was lightening from the navy blue of before to a soft cerulean. "Good." His demeanor softened upon seeing the crestfallen look on Ran's face. "Hey, Ran, don't look like that. None of this is your fault."

Ran rubbed her arms. "Maybe it is, a little. All I do is continue to stress you out with my useless feelings."

Shinichi's mouth formed a thin line. "Hey, your feelings aren't useless. They're what makes you, you, Ran." He wiped a stray tear from her eyes. "I love your feelings." His words seemed so odd for him – Shinichi was not one to broadcast his inner emotions. And yet, here he was, sitting here wanting to tell Ran exactly what he felt about her and how she felt about him. But this wasn't the time or the place. He had to be in Nagoya in a couple hours, ready to fight a massive crime syndicate if the need arose. The urgency was escalating by the minute. Still, shouldn't one confess what was on their mind, in case this was the last time he got the chance…?

"I do love you, Ran," Shinichi said impulsively. Whether he meant it as platonic as he had intended or romantic as it may have sounded was lost even to him. Shinichi had found that he tended to lose all complicated thought when he was around his best friend now, and he didn't know yet whether that was a good thing. He flinched at the hopeful look Ran was throwing him. "But I just don't … I don't know… It's hard to explain. I'm clueless when it comes to this kind of thing."

Ran smirked. "Well, here," She purred, and Shinichi was stunned by how unlike Ran the action was. "Let me help you." She scooted closer, cupped his face in her hands, leaned over, and kissed him. Unlike the last incident in Shinichi's kitchen, this kiss was a chaste one – short but sweet. Without waiting for Shinichi's response, Ran smiled and moved back. "Nothing else matters, right?" She said softly; sadly.

Shinichi returned her sad smile and averted his eyes, and he felt his heart thud. "No," He said solemnly. "Not now, it can't." He felt Ran rise from the bed.

"Well, like I said, I understand. Honestly, just hearing you say it…" Shinichi saw her shadow shake its head. "It's… more than I ever thought I would get. I don't expect anything more from you, Shinichi."

"I know," Shinichi mumbled, fighting the desire to touch his lips, which were still tingling. His impressive vocabulary seemed stifled at this point. "I know."

Ran giggled. "Happy belated Birthday, Shinichi. I know it's hard, but… try to enjoy it, ne?"

Shinichi blinked as the hallway light flooded his room and he heard Ran clump back down the stairs. He looked up at the open doorway, and he felt his heart constrict. What was keeping him back? He'd never felt as… _light_ as when Ran kissed him. He'd never gotten that kind of euphoria from Kimiko, as sweet and affectionate as she was. Shinichi was no fool; he could clearly see that there was more going on here than met the eye. So what was keeping him back?

Shinichi grimaced as he remembered Conan's lifeless body up on that windy rooftop, covered with blood so bright that it had hurt his eyes. That was all the answer Shinichi needed, and he closed his eyes and sighed. Blood and death was surrounding him; choking him. He couldn't spend time falling in love when dozens of people were dying every day. He couldn't waste time romancing Ran when his brother was decomposing in the ground and still not avenged. Besides, if Ran ever got too close…! Whether he truly loved her or not, he'd never be able to live with himself if his foolishness got her killed, too.

And if that meant having to push her away, then so be it.

"Just wait a little longer, Ran… I'll fix everything, I promise."

-------------------------------------------

"Are you sure about this, Kaito?" He turned to his wife, who was dressed prim and proper for work. She slipped her gun in her holster and then looked up at him. "If you think this is so dangerous, why go through with it at all?"

Kaito sighed miserably. "Anything having to do with the Black Organization is dangerous, babe." He handed her another gun, which she slipped into a hidden holster under her jacket. "Just promise me you'll keep a look out. We have to make sure every angle is covered for when Ran goes after that thing. If it was so easy for those kids to get that information, then I have no doubt that the Black Organization has found out about it as well. If we get to it first, we have to make sure we can keep it in hand, and if the Black Ops have already stolen it, we have to make sure we get the hell out of dodge before they can sic their watchdogs on us. But we can't just avoid the situation all together. This is vital for finding Pandora."

Aoko sighed. "I know." She reached up and kissed him. "I'll keep the police channels all open, and tell my men to watch out for anything suspicious in the suburbs of Tokyo. They're supposed to contact me as soon as they hear something."

Kaito grinned. "Atta girl. I can always count on you to make things easier for me."

Aoko gave a dramatic sigh. "Yes, what _would_ you do without me?" She blinked. "But wait… why not just go yourself, if you're worried about Ran?"

Kaito snorted. "You're joking, right? I'd never be able to convince that girl to stay away from trouble. Plus, there'd be no way to rationalize her not showing up to those two boys, and my disguises are pretty rusty. I don't think I can fit into my Psiren costume anymore, anyway." He chuckled.

His wife frowned. "You're out of practice?"

Kaito waved away her concern. "Eh… don't worry about it. I consider it to be a good thing. Means I don't have any reason to."

"Still Kaito, I worry-"

"Hey," Kaito clapped his hands on Aoko's shoulders, proceeding to rub up and down her arms in what was supposed to be an encouraging way. Aoko shivered. "We've been here before, haven't we? You've helped me through much worse than this. We'll be okay. We all will. I swear my life on that."

Aoko averted her eyes. "Thanks, but no thanks. I don't want anyone swearing their lives at all." She gazed up at him. "…You'll go to Nagoya and keep an eye on things, right? Watching the news and monitoring the internet sites and whatnot?"

"Yes, yes… not as fun, but definitely safer. You be safe, too, Aoko." He melded his mouth against hers, eliciting a soft groan from her throat. His eyes were desperate as he pulled away. "Please."

Aoko nodded, and her worry lines deepened. It had happened again; in the growing severity of the situation, Kaito had reverted back to his old post-Organization ways. Since Ran had appeared late last night announcing the discovery of the Mermaid Retribution's location, Kaito had been wearing a constant frown and was constantly looking over his shoulder and checking the locks on doors. He wasn't the only one who felt the change though – Aoko could feel the cold seeping into their lives again, and she hated it. After all the hard work it took to draw Kaito out of his shell of self-loathing, bitterness, and hatred, something was threatening to pull him back into it again. That was unacceptable to Aoko. She wouldn't allow her husband to be drawn into the darkness again. Not today. All the same, she whispered her farewell to the man who wasn't quite her husband anymore as she pulled the door closed behind her. "Be safe… Bourbon."

-------------------------------------------

Heiji remembered this anticipation. It was just like the night of the heist in Osaka, and that was exactly what scared him. Although he was confident that they would come out victorious, Heiji had a dreadful feeling that the equivalent exchange almost wasn't worth it. Something bad was going to happen, his gut told him. His intuition towards these things had never been wrong before. "Shinichi… I ain't feelin' as confident about this as I was yesterday."

Shinichi glanced over at him with a frown. "Me neither."

The wind was howling as the train whizzed across the tracks. They would be in Nagoya in only about twenty minutes, at this rate. The sun was just beginning to go down, and the skies were filled with the oranges, purples, blues, and reds of a sunset. It was beautiful, but the large quantities of blood red did nothing to assuage Shinichi or Heiji's already declining moods. Every time he looked up at the sky he was reminded of his brother, and finally Shinichi settled for turning his back to the window and trying to concentrate on anything other than death, which was hard considering the current circumstances.

Psiren had agreed to go on ahead, using a mode of transportation that she refused to specify. It was too risky at this point to fly in by glider, she had said, and she wanted to make sure no one knew she was even in the city. This brought images of her past disguises to mind, and both detectives were quite miffed that she still felt such a need to keep secrets from them. Sticking with one disguise would've be an improvement, at least.

"Still," Heiji continued. "This should be a quick grab, right? It's not like we're expectin' opposition. _They_ don't know about it yet, do they?"

"Probably not," Shinichi mumbled. Heiji nodded.

So why were their hearts beating so rapidly?

-------------------------------------------

The streets around the house were pitch black, as there had been a completely inconvenient and… _accidental_ power outage which the electrical companies had yet to repair. Cognac smirked as he watched the forms of the other two operatives shimmer and move in the darkness. "Careful with those," He mumbled, narrowing his eyes as a weapon clattered to the ground. "The last thing I need is you two idiots shooting yourselves in the foot or something equally as ridiculous."

"Watch it, pretty boy," Gin growled, striding over to him. "You may be in charge of this operation, but you ain't in charge of _me_. I got seniority on yer scrawny ass, so watch what you say and how you say it."

Cognac shrugged, unfazed. "My apologies," he intoned softly, though his gray eyes were deadly. He didn't like Gin – never did – and Gin was as equally fond of Cognac. As they were very close in rank, however, there was little either of them could do about it without being punished by Vermouth or the Boss. Instead they settled for death glares and cursing, which both of them excelled at.

"Aniki!" Vodka hissed from a distance. "Help me with this crate, will ya?" With an unintelligible grunt Gin did so, but his eyes never left Cognac as he lifted the other side of the huge box and pushed and pulled it towards the correct spot.

"What is all this for, anyway?" Gin asked. "We're not blowin' up all of Nagoya, for God's sake. We just want to get this one woman, and maybe two kids."

"Idiot," Cognac seethed, and Gin growled in warning. "This is why you two failed before – you underestimated Margarita, and Tequila underestimated Kudo. Obviously they are smarter than you give them credit for; otherwise they still wouldn't be alive. I will _not_ tolerate failure." He walked over to Gin and Vodka and sat down on the crate they had just moved. He patted the wooden box affectionately. "This is the answer to all our troubles, Gin. With this, Margarita, Kudo, _and _Hattori will be dead. I'm sure you can survive a few bullet holes just fine, but try surviving five hundred pounds of TNT. I think your chances are considerably lower, don't you?"

"This was supposed ta be a low profile thing," Gin snapped. "We're not supposed to give the whole goddamn city a fuckin' light show."

"Vermouth told me to get the job done," Cognac said casually, his face thrown into shadow. "She didn't say anything about being low-key about it. So, I'm going to do things my way, and if you have a problem with that, then you can take it up with her, not me."

Gin clenched his fists and faced Cognac with his nostrils flaring, while his counterpart was the epitome of coolness. Vodka watched in awe. Absolute nothing had ever gotten his aniki riled up in such a way; this Cognac person must've been really dangerous. Vodka wisely decided to stay far away from the two.

"Fine," Gin said, his temper now under control. "So now what?"

Cognac smirked. "We wait. You set up everything like I told you, didn't you? Then we have nothing else to do at the moment." He jumped down from the crate and stretched his long limbs. "I will retreat to a safe distance and watch the show, while you two stay here in hiding, and wait for the fools to show up. And if a single person struggles out from that building-"

"Right," Vodka interjected with a curt nod, and he grinned. "We fill 'em full of holes."

Cognac chuckled, smirking deviously. "Let the games begin."

-------------------------------------------

Ran dropped to the ground with barely a sound. The area was dark for blocks, but with her trained senses, it was a piece of cake. Of course, the night vision goggles Kaito had given her certainly helped, too.

She looked around. Just as Kaito had told her it was, the place was barren. All of the workers had been fired long ago, probably to reduce attention to the place, Kaito figured. From what she could determine in the dark, it appeared that Ran had dropped in the middle of a large dining room, and if her hunch was correct, the painting was probably somewhere on the first floor, where people could openly admire it just after coming in through the door. By the looks of things, Gidayu was one of the ostentatious sort, so the idea of him having such a valuable painting (claimed as a fake or not) out where anyone could see it didn't surprise her.

Suddenly, she heard a creaking noise, and she whirled around. Ran's thermal imaging wasn't picking up anything either, but you could never be too careful. She swallowed and tiptoed across the room and into the hallway, where there were dozens of sculptures and paintings that gleamed from the dim light of the flashlight on her headset. But none of them was the Mermaid's Retribution.

"_Psiren…"_ A voice called to her. Ran jumped, but she relaxed as she realized it was coming from her earpiece. "It's Shin. What's going on?"

Ran rolled at Shinichi's poor choice of a nickname. "Nothing. I'm still looking. Is something wrong?"

"No, nothing's wrong. We're finally here. We're right outside waiting for you."

Ran smiled. "Good. It shouldn't be much longer; stay out of sight."

She heard Shinichi snort. "Like I didn't already know that."

Ran suppressed the urge to giggle as she slunk down the hallway and into a larger room with a fireplace. Large, comfy looking leather couches were on both sides of the room, with the fireplace between them. There was a large, wilting ficus near the window, a baby grand piano nearer to the hallway, and a koi fish pond built into the floor. It was obvious that although this place had seen better days, _someone_ still frequented here – otherwise the fish would be dead, which they weren't. Ran stared at the fish with interest, who stared back with their mouths flapping open and closed, waiting for her to feed them. Slowly her gaze traveled upward –

And right above the mantel and hanging on the wall was the Mermaid's Retribution in all its glory. Ran's mouth went dry. Was it really this easy? She changed the frequency on her radio and clicked her mic back on. "Kaito…" She whispered reverently. "It's really here… it's the real thing, Kaito."

"…What?" Kaito asked, confused. "How can you be sure?"

Ran shook her head. "I don't know, but… _something's_ here, Kaito. Something that looks pretty authentic to my eyes."

She heard the sound of a motor roaring to life. "Hang on; don't do anything stupid. I'm on my way."

"What do you mean, you're on your way?" Ran hissed. "Where are you?"

"I'm just a couple blocks south of you… Ran, I've done everything I can, and it appears like what you're seeing is the real thing. I haven't found anything to make me think otherwise, but the power outage concerns me. I'd still rather be there with you when you have that thing. You need to have backup."

Ran shrugged, pulling a stepping stool close to the fireplace and jumping on top. Her fingers climbed toward the painting. "Shinichi and Heiji are waiting for me outside."

Kaito's voice was annoyed. "You know good and damn well that if the Black Organization showed up… anyway, do. not. leave. that building until I get there, you understand? They could be waiting to ambush you..."

Ran pulled the painting clean off the wall. It was almost as wide as she was tall with the large ornate frame attached. Unbeknownst to her, a wire at the back of the frame broke off and fell harmlessly to the ground. Ran stopped cold. "Kaito…" She whispered harshly. "Something's ticking." She glanced around. "It wasn't ticking before. I only just now heard it…"

"_WHAT?!" _Kaito barked."Ran, get OUT of there!"

Ran was unsure what to do. Should she drop the painting and run for her life, or should she risk her life by dragging it with her? What if there was nothing to be afraid of? _'Please let it just be a clock,'_ She thought, but she hugged the painting in her arms and started to run anyway. And as she ran, the ticking seemed to get louder. Faster. Ran dashed down the corridors, through the rooms, and towards the front door. She had come in through a high window, but there was no time to go up and through it again now. Ran reached the front hall, and stopped.

The front door and windows were barricaded with a large pile of explosives, on top of which rested a large digital clock that was ticking slowly backwards. _**15…14…13…12…**_

Ran's eyes widened and she spun around to go back the other way, but the heel of her boot caught on the edge of the rug and she came crashing down. The frame of the painting smashed underneath her weight and pressed hard into her stomach. Ran cried out, but quickly got to her feet and started running again, the painting bent and probably severely damaged but still encased in her protective grip. "Ran?" Kaito asked, but there was no time to answer him. "RAN?!!"

_**11…10…9…8…**_

Underneath Kaito's frantic shouts was the sound of Shinichi trying to reach her through the different frequency. "Psiren? What's wrong? Why aren't you answering?"

"Get away from here!" Ran shouted. "There's a bomb! Get away from-" Somehow she found her way back to the room where the painting had been, and she looked around for an escape. The window was the safest bet, but as she ran towards it she noticed something that had escaped her senses before; something that hadn't shown out so well in the dark or under the green haze of her night vision goggles. There was a digital clock reading in every corner of the room, attached to a small bundle of explosives as big as a small package. And the reason why she hadn't noticed the clocks was because they were painted _green._ Even if she could get out the window in time, there was no way she wouldn't be seriously injured or killed in the blast.

"Kaito…" She whispered. The painting fell from her grasp, and she backed away from the windows and toward the center of the room. She looked around helplessly. "Oh, Kaito…"

"Ran!"

"Psiren!" Kaito and Shinichi called simultaneously. But there was nothing left to do.

_**5…4…3…2-**_

Time ran out.

/--/

"Kudo!" Heiji called, marching over to him. They were at the back of the house, hiding amongst the foliage. "Kudo!" Heiji clapped his hands on Shinichi's shoulder, spun, and shook, desperate for the boy to give him some kind of information. Shinichi, however, was busy trying to get a response from his other ally and ignored Heiji. "Kudo! What the hell is goin' on-!" Just then, the earth rumbled, and with a deafening boom the house in front of them exploded.

Shinichi and Heiji were thrown back several feet, with Shinichi tumbling into a bush and Heiji crashing into a tree. Shinichi's vision swam in front of him for an instant before he was able to shake himself out of it. With no regard for his broken leg, Shinichi jumped to his feet and started limping quickly towards the burning building. "PSIREN!" He hollered, covering his face with his arm to protect him from all the flying debris and acrid smoke. "PSIREN!" Heiji came up and grabbed him from behind.

"Kudo, you can't go in there!" Heiji insisted. "You'll be burned alive!"

Shinichi pulled his arm away. "Forget it! She's still in there, Hattori! We have to do something-!"

"Not so fast, Kudo." The two teenagers whipped their heads around, seeing a tall blonde man in black standing before them with a gun cocked and pointed. A shorter, darker man stood beside him. Gin smirked. "This is as far as you go."

Heiji backed away, narrowing his eyes and crouching into a defensive stance. "Who…?"

"Black Organization!" Shinichi shouted, and Gin's smile widened.

"So you know of us, eh? Too bad ya got involved in all of this, kid… ya could've been somebody. But you just had to interfere with our-" Gin grunted as Heiji let out a battle cry and sent a roundhouse kick sailing right into the older man's face. Gin squeezed off a shot and hit the tree just behind Heiji. Shinichi watched in amazement.

"Kudo!" Heiji tackled Shinichi and sent them both tumbling behind a large bush. The air came alive with the crack of gunfire as they hid and waited. Heiji turned to face his friend. "I'll take care of these guys; you go help Psiren!"

Shinichi gaped. "What are you talking about?" He ducked as another bullet sailed too close to his head. "Are you trying to get yourself killed?!"

"Never mind that! I can take care of myself!" Heiji grabbed Shinichi by the arm and pulled him under another bush close by. "Besides, you're injured! You can't keep up with this guy like I can!"

Shinichi started to protest. "But-"

Heiji pushed him towards the house. "Go, goddamnit! Or I'll kill you myself!"

Shinichi nodded. He half stood, half crouched, and made his way toward the house, which was charred and collapsing piece by piece. For every fire that went out, another fire was started by the cool wind blowing. He didn't have long if he hoped to get Psiren out alive. She could already be… no, he couldn't think like that right now! "Hattori! You better live through this!"

Heiji chuckled, pulling out a gun from his jean pocket. Shinichi's heart stopped at the sight. "Heh, yeah. You too." Heiji narrowed his eyes and inched closer to Gin behind the foliage, ready to return fire. "Come on big bad an' blondie – you're not the only one who's got a fancy gun an' knows how to use it!"

Shinichi gulped, taking one last look at his friend before inching through the dark.

/--/

The world swirled around her.

Ran was barely conscious, crawling across the wooden floor of the room inch by torturous inch, fighting the urge to either faint or throw up. She couldn't die; not here, not yet. The painting had been a fake obviously, but she couldn't allow herself to beat herself up about it. She had to live. Despite all the pain she was feeling, she had to live. There were way too many people who still counted on her to end all of this. She _had_ to _live. _And yet, every fiber in her being cried for her to shut down; for her to stop trying so hard and just let things be the way they seemed to be heading. Who knows how she had survived the blast – she didn't really care at this point – but now it seemed like she was doomed anyway.

'_I'm going to die,' _She thought. _'But maybe it won't be so bad. Maybe I can see m-mommy again-'_

"PSIREN!" Shinichi called, and the eyes that were sliding closed snapped open. Ran whimpered as she tried to move her head; the pain was so intense and she just couldn't take it anymore and would someone please just end it for her? The sound of Shinichi's halting footsteps was the only thing that kept her conscious; the only thing that kept her hoping that someone would come and save her. But as far as she knew, Ran was buried under who knew how much debris. There was a chance that Shinichi could be right on top of her and never find her. "PSIREN!"

"I'm right here," she croaked, breaking into a coughing fit as soon as she opened her mouth. Somewhere in the distance she swore she could hear gunshots, but she wrote it off as being an effect of blood loss. The thudding of footsteps continued to make their way towards her. "Please, Shinichi," she whimpered. "I'm right here… don't leave me, please…." Smoldering ashes around her body seared her skin and clothes. She started to cry.

"Psiren! Psiren!" Shinichi climbed over another pile of burning debris and hissed as it burned his hands. He was covered with scrapes and burns now, but that didn't stop him. He had to find Psiren. He had to. He'd never be able to live with himself if he let her die. "Come on, think!" He commanded. "Where could she be?" Shinichi could tell just by looking at the state of the foundation where the explosion had originated from – there seemed to be a few different sources. Shinichi's stomach dropped. There was no way she could've survived all that… He gave a pained sigh and wiped the soot and tears out of his eyes, but he stopped when he heard a weird noise amongst all the roaring of dying flames and creaking of weakening wood beams. It sounded like… a cat? "What's a cat doing in here?" Nevertheless, Shinichi headed in that direction. The room he found himself in was large, with windows that reached to the ceiling. Luckily, the broken windows added a much needed release for all the smoke, so it was easier for Shinichi to breathe and see. However, the flames were the most intense within this room for the same reason. The mewling got louder, and Shinichi inched closer. He stopped just soon enough to prevent a ceiling beam from crashing onto his head. Embers burst forth in the air.

"Psiren?!"

"Oh god, S-Shin…ichi…"

"PSIREN!" Shinichi raced over, tearing at the wood and furniture debris that covered the woman like a thick blanket. He could just see her face by way of a fire snuffing itself out in the corner. Her eyes were wide and disoriented. "Don't worry… I'll get you out of here…" Several more burns and cuts later, Shinichi pulled the woman from out of the pile and cradled her in his tired arms. "Hey, hang in there…"

Psiren was shivering. "I… you…you…"

"Ssh," Shinichi murmured, brushing shards of glass and fragments of wood off of her face. There were quite a few that were embedded, but Shinichi couldn't take care of those now. Right now, his only concern was getting the both of them the hell out of this place. He rose to his feet and moved in the same faltering way back towards the back door where he had entered, but Shinichi found it easier to walk the more adrenaline started pumping through him. He was outside in the crisp night air in no time. Everywhere was the sound of wailing sirens and alarms. Most prominent, however, was the sound of one last, loud, gunshot.

Shinichi cursed. "Shit… Hattori!" He lowered Psiren to the ground and ran to the backyard, only to find the blonde man and his cohort gone and Heiji kneeling alone in the field. "Hattori!"

Heiji turned towards him. His right cheek was bleeding from what appeared to be a swipe from a bullet, but otherwise he seemed all right. He grinned at Shinichi. "Oi, what took you so long?" He frowned. "Where's Psiren? Is she…?"

Shinichi started to calm. "She's severely injured, but alive. I hid her in the bushes when I thought I'd have to come over here and save your ass."

Heiji laughed, accepting Shinichi's hand and pulling himself up. "Nah… I'm too good for that. I beat them ten ways to Tokyo."

Shinichi raised his eyebrows.

"Well, actually," Heiji mumbled, "they ran away before I could get off a good shot. The fight hardly lasted a minute after you left. They heard the cops comin' an' ran off like cowards." He looked over at Shinichi as they walked. "Did you call the cops?"

Shinichi frowned. "No. Did you?"

Heiji shook his head. "I can hear 'em for miles, though. That's a lot more than I'd expect to arrive this soon after the explosion." He shrugged. "I guess Nagoya just has really good- holy shit!" Heiji gaped as Shinichi pulled a limp Psiren from the bushes. Charred, bloody, and bruised, Psiren's body was near unrecognizable. It sent a series of shivers down Heiji's spine. "Shit, Kudo, she's looking real bad…"

"FREEZE!" A man shouted, and Heiji and Shinichi turned to see several dozen cops slowly approaching them, all with guns raised. "You – drop your weapon!" Heiji did so; dismantling the gun and throwing the parts to the ground before putting his hands up. "And you – what is that you're holding? Don't make any sudden moves, either of you! You're under arrest!"

"Officer, wait," Shinichi said, advancing slowly. "We're not the ones who did this! We were investigating a case and it lead us here-" The beam of a flashlight filled his vision. Shinichi squinted.

"What's your name, kid?"

"Shinichi Kudo, sir."

The police sergeant's eyes widened. "Kudo?" He redirected his beam at Heiji, who let out a curse at the bright light. "Then you must be-"

"Heiji Hattori," Heiji replied flatly. "And I really don't like that beam in my face." The officer clicked off his flashlight. "Listen, we don't have time for this!" He pointed to Psiren in Shinichi's arms. "We have a fatally wounded woman with us who needs medical attention right away! We have to get her to a hospital!"

Shinichi gasped as Psiren reached up to grab at the collar of his shirt. "No," she croaked, her eyes half-lidded. "They'll… figure out who I a-am. They'll have to know my identity, and I can't… I can't risk it. Please, Shinichi…." She moaned. "_Please."_

Shinichi grimaced. "But… you'll die…!!"

Psiren flinched, and then she shook her head. "I can't." She thought about it for awhile. "I know… s-some…w-where… you take me. We'll be safe. Take me there." Heavy with exhaustion, her eyes close of their own accord.

"Where?" Heiji hissed impatiently, eyeing the approaching cops. "Where do we go?"

"There's no time!" Shinichi clutched the woman closer to him. "Come on, we can go to my house!"

"Stop!" The same sergeant from before shouted. His eyes were narrowed as he pointed at Psiren. "I knew I knew that face from somewhere… that costume… it's the Psiren!" A collective gasp went through his subordinates. The man grinned proudly. "Good job catching her, boys! You can hand her over to police custody now."

Shinichi growled. "Are you insane? She needs medical attention!"

The sergeant nodded. "And she will get that, at a hospital where she can be closely monitored. After she is well, we will transport her to the federal prison, where she will be good and locked up. You have my word on that." He reached out for the woman, but Shinichi backed away.

"I don't think so, officer," He said coolly. "I think I'd rather take the fugitive to my own facilities to be cared for and monitored. Your help isn't needed."

"_What?"_

"You heard him, _officer_," Heiji said casually, folding his arms. "We're fine takin' care of this on our own."

The sergeant turned red with anger. "You… you don't have the authority to make those kinds of decisions! I don't care how famous you are! If you try to take that woman away from police hands, you will be seen as harboring a fugitive!"

"So be it," Shinichi said. Even Heiji was struck speechless at the dangerous gleam in his eyes. "Do whatever you have to do, officer. But I'm not giving her over to you." With that last remark, Shinichi walked right past the police array and towards the car Heiji and Shinichi had rented for their time in Nagoya. Heiji stood stock still, stunned, before snapping himself out of it and running after his solemn counterpart. The resident detective sergeant ordered his subordinates to give chase, but no one moved. Everyone was too astonished that the great teenage detectives Shinichi Kudo and Heiji Hattori would ever take such a risk for the sake of one phantom thief, and certainly no one was willing to detain them.

"Kudo!" The sergeant yelled, pointing his gun at the boy's back. Shinichi did not turn around. "This is your last chance! Turn her over, or be seen as a criminal in the eyes of the law!"

Shinichi dug his nails into Psiren's arms out of anger and frustration, but he still didn't turn. He could see his career going down the drain, but he had more serious things to worry about at the moment. He sighed. "You're not going to shoot me, detective." Heiji opened the back car door for him, and Shinichi climbed in. He kept Psiren's head in his lap as he buckled the both of them in and waited for Heiji to start driving. "Hurry, Hattori!" Shinichi hissed. "Drive like hell!"

Heiji settled into the front seat and adjusted his mirror. "Like you gotta tell _me_ twice," he mumbled. He clenched the wheel, looking back anxiously at the police. "Shit, shit, _shit_!!" He hissed. "We really shouldn't have done that. _Shit!_" He gunned the engine, and with a squeal of his tires they were out of sight. The policemen and women stared off into the distant as the car disappeared over the horizon.

"Sir?" A woman office asked, the first brave enough to confront the sergeant. "What do we do now, sir?"

The man clenched his fists. "Call Megure, and Kudo and Hattori, too." His mouth formed a grim line. "We're going to have to report this…"

And in the shadow of a pair of trees, Gin and Vodka watched and listened before quickly slipping away.

/--/

Before they could get far enough away to ease their tension, Heiji noticed something in his rearview mirror. "Someone's tailin' us," he said grimly, and Shinichi turned around to look. A man on a bright red motorcycle had been following them for long enough to make Heiji suspicious.

Shinichi scowled. "Lose him." Heiji nodded, and he gunned the engine again. But whoever it was, they were smart. The motorcycle sped up as well, and soon it had accelerated enough to bypass Heiji and Shinichi and then come to a halt in front of them only a couple feet up the road. Heiji cursed and slammed on the brakes, and everyone lurched forward. Psiren emitted a pained cry in her sleep. Heiji rested his hand on his empty holster and waited for something malicious to happen, but instead the man on the motorcycle removed his helmet and shouted to them.

"HEY!! Follow me!" The man yelled over the traffic noises, oblivious to the numerous honking cars that had been forced to stop after Heiji. "I can take her somewhere safe!" Heiji and Shinichi looked at each other with wide eyes. "What the hell are you waiting for? Hurry up, or she'll die!"

"What the hell is he talkin' about?" Heiji asked. "How does he know we have someone injured?"

Shinichi squinted his eyes. He knew that spiky hair from somewhere… "It… it can't be…!"

"If you don't want to trust me," Kaito roared, his face turning red with frustration, "Then give her to me, and be on your way! But I won't let you kill her with your stupidity!"

"Heiji," Shinichi said slowly. "Follow him."

"What?"

Shinichi nodded. "I trust him. Tell him you'll follow."

Heiji was just about to protest when Psiren let out another pained mewling noise from the backseat. With a loud, frustrated shout he honked his horn, motioning with his hand that he'd follow the motorcyclist. Kaito nodded once, slipping his helmet back on, and shot across the quiet night roads like an arrow, in total disregard for traffic lights or pedestrians or other vehicles. Heiji drove in a similar fashion; after all, a life was at stake. "Well, I've already broken one law today," Heiji said flatly as he passed through another red light. "What's a couple dozen more?"

Shinichi sat in the back seat, clutching Psiren to him like she was his lifeline, when in reality it was the other way around. Blood from her copious wounds seeped into the fabric seats and floor mats. Shinichi's own clothes were stained with it. He constantly tried to waken her, but again and again she failed to respond.

"Please," he whispered pleadingly, staring at her eyelids and trying to wish them open. The mask on her face was all but gone, but he couldn't see any distinguishable features because of the blood and soot. "Please… hang on."

-------------------------------------------

Heiji and Shinichi viewed Kaito's living room with interest. At the breakneck speed they had been traveling, they had arrived to the house in no time, and now Kaito was carrying Psiren's body quickly down the hallway with Heiji and Shinichi right behind him. Kaito deposited her on his bed and let out a ragged sigh, pushing his bangs out of his eyes as he quickly assessed the situation. "Shit, what a mess…" Without wasting any time, Kaito raced into the hallway and returned with a large first aid kit. He set it down on the bed, opened it, and retrieved a pair of scissors. Almost as if he'd forgotten the boys were in the room, Kaito began cutting of the thief's melted costume. Heiji and Shinichi turned away.

Shinichi slid down in a chair, wincing as he accidentally irritated one of his burns. His mind was spinning from all that had happened. "Kuroba-san-"

"Let's get this out of the way, shall we?" Kaito blurted, growing frustrated with the uncooperative shirt. Finally he dropped his scissors on the bed and ripped the shirt off with his hands. Psiren was wearing a skimpy bra underneath, which just covered her modesty. Kaito left it alone for the moment and continued to relieve her of the rest of her bothersome clothing. "No, I don't know what's going on, and I don't care. But when I see two kids driving off from a burning building that just exploded, one of which I happen to know personally, I'm the kind of person who wants to find out what happened and try to help.

Shinichi blinked. "But-"

"I don't care if she's a wanted criminal," Kaito continued, pulling out a pair of tweezers. "And I don't know her, except for on television," He shrugged. "She's a thief, but she doesn't deserve to die. I don't know what you two kids are doing running around with a fugitive, but you have my word that nothing that happens will leak out from the four of us."

"Kaito! Kaito, what was -" Aoko clapped her hands over her mouth as she approached the doorway. "Oh my _god. _What…what happened?!?"

Kaito smiled sheepishly at Shinichi. "Okay, make that five. You remember my lovely wife, Aoko?" Shinichi nodded dumbly. "Aoko... Aoko, calm down. Help me get this place sterilized. We'll fix her up the old fashion way." Aoko nodded wordlessly and walked right over to the first aid kit and fetched a bottle of antiseptic. Heiji looked on with wide eyes.

"How do you know how to do this? Isn't this dangerous?"

Kaito's voice was low, his eyes narrowed. "Do you have a better idea?"

"No, no…. 'Course not."

This man was dangerous, Shinichi thought. While he had carried himself at the funeral in much the same way he was carrying himself now – self-assured, confident, cool, calm, and collected - there was a definite edge to the older man at the moment that sent off warning bells in Shinichi's head. As Kaito focused on removing debris fragments from Psiren's mutilated body - the sight of someone so close to him in such a condition actually made Shinichi turn away – his eyes were blank of emotion, and he worked with practiced ease. How many bodies did an ex-magician have to spontaneously repair, anyway? Shinichi's first assessment would be zero, but now, he wasn't so sure.

"Were you in the army, Kuroba-san?"

Kaito glanced up at Shinichi, a shiny new scalpel in his hand. He frowned. "Something… like that." Shinichi was confused. The man who had appeared at his brother's funeral had been a lot more… high spirited; less solemn. Considering the situation Shinichi could allow him some slack, but still. Everyday citizens did not just jump headfirst into an ambiguous situation involving an internationally wanted criminal. Everyday citizens did not have scalpels, sutures, and other sterilized medical equipment just lying around their house. Everyday citizens did not make an effort to save the life of someone who was being blamed for the death of countless people. As Shinichi watched Kaito close another wound, clean the area with disinfectant and move on to the next small disaster, he concluded something. It was something that had been forming in his mind ever since he had first seen Kaito and the man's indecipherable smile – something that hadn't seemed significant before, but definitely did now…

Kaito Kuroba was _not_ your everyday citizen. He was something potentially much more sinister, and Shinichi vowed that soon, he'd find out what that something was. Right now, though, his only concern was making sure Psiren was okay. He didn't know why, but somehow he had developed a kinship with the woman since that first meeting in the coffee shop over a month ago, and now, he couldn't imagine living without her. It had nothing to do with romance of course, but Psiren had become more than just a business partner to him, though Shinichi was reluctant to admit it.

For now, interrogating Kaito Kuroba would have to wait. But there was no doubt in Shinichi's mind that it would happen.

Aoko came back in from the hallway with a pair of surgical gloves for both her and her husband. "You two might want to clear out," She said cheerful. "It gets a little messy in here when you start cutting open bodies." That was all it took. Shinichi and Heiji scrambled out of the room with little more than a 'bye', shutting and locking the door behind them. Aoko turned to her husband, who was staring at her with the same brooding look. "We really took a risk today, Kaito," She whispered. "The Black Organization probably has us trapped like mice, now."

"I know," Kaito said, his mouth firm and sweat dripping into his eye. He met Aoko's eyes for a second and then quickly looked away. "I know."

-------------------------------------------

"Goddamn cops… they got away!" Gin snarled, kicking a random box into the side of the brick wall. It was a couple hours later, and all Organization members involved in the current operation had gathered in one of the organization's many safe houses. Gin, Vodka, and Cognac stood alone in the car garage, talking privately of their latest attempt. "I almost got that snot-nosed little punk… I had it all aimed up right, and then…!" He growled. "That bitch gave me a bruise on my face. I should've wrung his neck."

"There was nothing you could've done," Cognac asserted, sitting cross legged on the hood of his car – a black Ferrari F430 - and trimming his fingernails with an emery board. "I checked – someone called the cops en masse to that place. Someone got tipped off to our plans; someone connected to Margarita, no doubt. But don't worry – I'm sure Fujiwara will find the rat soon enough."

"What I don't understand," Vodka said quietly, "is why those kids are workin' with Margarita in the first place. Why would they work with a thief?"

"Doesn't matter," Cognac said, standing. "As you two saw, Margarita is still alive, but barely. We failed. What a pity."

Gin itched to take his anger out on the guy. "Why are ya actin' so casual about it? Vermouth's gonna rip you a new asshole, and all ya can say is 'what a pity'?!"

Cognac shrugged, blowing the cuticle dust from his fingertips. "I didn't want to tell you before, but those three wasn't what I was after, really."

Gin snarled. "Then _what_?"

"Bourbon," Cognac said with his devious smirk. "He's been thought dead for years, but with my little plan I've just uprooted him for whatever hole he's been hiding in. Vermouth won't care about my failure as long as she has that information."

Vodka jerked back in surprise. "What?! Bourbon is alive?! How do ya know?"

Cognac chortled. "I actually hadn't been expecting it, but when I used my resources to try and tail Psiren… Even _he _can't stand by and watch his allies be charred, apparently; he's too good a man for that. I don't think he's been ignoring Margarita all this time… maybe he's just been too good at hiding. But nothing lasts forever." Cognac pulled out a glossy sheet of paper from his jacket and handed it over to the waiting Gin. "This was taken by a traffic camera, of an intersection just a few blocks away from the scene of the explosion and a few minutes later." He pointed to the correct spots on the image. "Notice Kudo and Heiji in that car, presumably with Margarita in tow. And then… a motorcycle pulls out in front of them. Words are exchanged… blah, blah, blah… take a good look at that face, Gin, and just tell me you don't recognize it."

Gin squinted. "His face is in shadow. How the hell am I supposed to know who he is?"

Cognac grinned. "I'm sure Vermouth will." He put the picture away. "I've already checked the license plate number – it's a fake, and unfortunately, we couldn't tail him because his appearance was so unexpected in the first place. But this is definitely a step in the right direction." He raised his emery board almost as if to toast the situation. "Psiren is fatally injured and will probably die. At the very least, she won't be able to search for Pandora anymore. Kudo's leg is still broken, and he's been burned. Heiji Hattori has a few souvenirs from you, Gin, and Kaito has been proven to still be alive. And the piece de résistance is that we have the Mermaid. Take my advice, my friends; don't think of this as a failure. It is a victory. Everything happened exactly as I would've wanted. Killing with explosives isn't my style, anyway – I want to have Psiren suffer nice and slow before she dies." He cackled, walking off with his head held high.

Gin blew out a breath. "That is one fucked up fruit loop." Vodka nodded in agreement. At least they wouldn't take the fall for it this time. Gin scowled as he thought on the information he had just learned – Bourbon was allegedly _alive_. After eight years, he could finally pay back that scumbag for all he'd done.

"I hope to god that Cognac is right, and you are alive, Kaito," Gin grumbled, rubbing his sore cheek. "'Cause you got a hell of a lot to answer for, and I plan ta be the one who makes ya do it."

XXXXXX

**A/N: **Hehe… I'm sorry that you guys had to miss out on Heiji totally kicking ass, but realistically, it never would've happened. He's strong, but he's not _that_ strong. And anyway, he and the rest of the gang will get their shiny debut in the land of fighting later on, I promise. But you have no idea how hard it was for me not to write that…! Torture, I tell you. Torture.

Next time, on '**Don't Play by the Rules': **Heiji is injured by his fight with Gin more than he had thought, and an angry Kazuha is forced into the scheme; An anxious Kogoro is searching for his daughter, and now that Kaito has entered the picture and everything has calmed down, Shinichi has the time and the inclination to be suspicious. But when the answers finally come out, Shinichi may wish that he'd never asked the questions…

OMAKE

_Smile_

"Onii-chan, what's wrong?"

Shinichi looked up from his homework. "Oh, it's nothing, Conan…"

Conan frowned, stomping over to his older brother with purpose in his blue eyes. "You're lying," he accused, poking Shinichi in the ribs. The teenager flinched and brushed the boy's hand away. "I can tell when you're sad, nii-chan… you get all mean and mopey and you don't want to talk to nobody." Conan bounced on his heels. "Just like how you are now!" Shinichi sweatdropped. He glared mildly at Conan.

"I am NOT being 'mopey'."

Conan sniffed. "Are too."

Shinichi glared harder. "Am not."

"Are too."

"Are-"

"Shinichi!" Yukiko called from the hallway in a sing-song voice, where she was folding the linen. "Don't be mean to your little brother."

Shinichi whirled to face her direction. "But-"

Yukiko was adamant. "No buts!" Shinichi groaned loudly, and suddenly he had the intense urge to chuck his textbook at the wall. Conan giggled, plopping down on the floor directly in front of his brother's bed.

"Brothers can tell each other anything, can't they?" Conan said quietly, looking up at Shinichi with his wide and innocent eyes. Shinichi melted in an instant. "You can tell me what's bothering you, Shinichi-niichan. I promise I'll keep it a secret if you want. I won't even tell Ran-neechan." Shinichi chuckled, and then frowned.

"Well," He began, "It's just this case I had yesterday…" Conan nodded in encouragement. Idly Shinichi wondered just who was the older brother around here. "A pregnant woman was stabbed to death by her estranged husband… the baby died, too, and- ah, Conan, I don't think I should be telling you this…"

"No, it's okay!" Conan chirped. "I'm used to it. Daddy lets me read his case files all the time. I get to see the pictures and everything!"

"Er, I'm sure mom doesn't know about that yet, but… anyway. After seeing that, I guess I just… _snapped_. When I finally found out which guy did it, I hauled off and punched him right in the face. And then I started beating the crap out of him. I don't know what came over me… actually, I do. What he did was so cruel and unnecessary… I guess it was too much for me. It was really serious, too; Megure won't let me work cases for at least two months..."

Conan nodded again, lacing his fingers together. "Uh-huh… go ahead."

Shinichi sighed, running his fingers through his hair. "I guess the real problem is… detective work is so flawed, you know? Even though you might catch the guy in the end, you still can't bring back the people who were killed. And so many good people die all the time… it infuriates me. That woman was a kindergarten schoolteacher for God's sake. She never hurt anyone."

Conan pondered all of this for awhile, and then he frowned as well. "You can't worry about that kind of stuff, nii-chan. You can only do the best at what you do. You're not an adult, so you can't fix _every_ problem. Mommy always tells me: 'As long as you do your best, nothing else matters'. Well, I know that you do your best all the time, nii-chan. I know because you're an awesome detective, and everyone loves you. So you shouldn't feel bad because that one guy went psycho and killed his family. That's not your fault. You can't control people's hearts, nii-chan – only God can do that, and he just chooses not to."

Shinichi quirked an eyebrow at that. It was odd hearing the boy say that, seeing as how they'd both been raised Agnostic. "So you're religious now, squirt?"

Conan shook his head vehemently. "No! But if I stay nice stuff like that about Je-bus and Chris-ti-an-ity at school, the lunch lady gives me popsicles. But it's true too, I think." He beamed up at Shinichi. "You know what else I learned from school, nii-chan?"

A shadow of a smile passed over Shinichi's face. "No. What's that?"

"Whenever you're feeling lonely, or sad, or afraid, you have to smile. 'Cause if you let yourself be sad over things you can't control, that will only make things worse. You just have to try your best and smile, niichan, and everything will end up okay." Conan cocked his head. "No one can blame you for that, can they?"

"Conan!" Yukiko called. "Time for your medicine!"

Conan rose from the floor with a grimace. "Aww!" Without another word, he raced from the room, making helicopter noises as he went. Shinichi stared at the spot his brother had just vacated. Could it be possible that his little brother could be right? Since when did six year olds get so smart? In the end, did it really matter? Shinichi just had to admit that he couldn't save everyone, but he could prevent more deaths from happening. It wasn't enough, but it was the best he could do. For the first time in a long time, the thought didn't distress him.

And he smiled.


	15. Smoke and Mirrors

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Detective Conan.

-------------------------------------------

**Don't Play by the Rules**

Chapter Thirteen: Smoke and Mirrors

Heiji and Shinichi waited out in the living room of Kaito's small but cozy home, each tense, hurt, and tired but unwilling to turn in for the night just yet. The word was still out on whether or not Psiren would make it, and they didn't want to fully relax until they were sure she'd live. There wasn't much other than that that could possibly lift their spirits, as they were both feeling horrible from the fatal incident that had occurred just a couple hours prior.

"Kudo," Heiji murmured solemnly. He had a damp towel pressed to the cheek he'd had slit open by one of Gin's bullets. "We screwed up."

Shinichi groaned. "Don't I know it."

The painting was a fake - that much was obvious, as neither boy thought for a moment that the Black Organization would blow up a priceless painting just for the sake of killing them. They'd been tricked. The Black Organization had the original painting. It was uncertain exactly _how_, but Heiji and Shinichi knew that they would be dealing with the repercussions for a long, long time. As if Psiren's condition wasn't evidence enough.

"How'd they get past us, Kudo?" Heiji peeled the cloth from his skin and gazed at the pinkish hue it had turned before replacing it. "How'd they get past us?"

Shinichi clenched his fists. "I don't know… but we have to figure it out soon. We can't let something like this happen again. We can't be tricked again. Otherwise one of us might actually end up dead."

Heiji slumped down in his chair. "You think Yukio was part of this?"

"Maybe. I did find it odd that he changed the location of the summer house so suddenly. You would figure that, as close as he claimed them to be and how serious the ramifications were, he would know without a doubt where Gidayu kept his painting. No matter how many summer houses he had."

Heiji nodded. "You're right… we said that earlier though, didn't we? Right before you called Psiren and told her about the change. And you said that we had to go regardless. But there wasn't anythin' we could do, was there? To prevent this. We did everythin' we could, didn't we?"

Shinichi winced as he peeled shreds of his once nice cotton shirt off of one of his burns. "Yeah," he replied to Heiji, "But it wasn't enough."

The door to the bedroom clicked open, and both Kaito and Aoko poked their heads out. Kaito's expression was blank, while his wife's was filled with emotion, namely relief and happiness. In response, Heiji and Shinichi relaxed. "Good news, kids," Aoko said, stepping out into the hallway and making her way to them. "Your friend will make a full recovery." Her smile slipped. "It's pretty bad, though. She'll have to remain here under constant supervision for at least a week. She has two broken ribs, a broken arm, so many burns… she probably should have skin grafts, but… we just don't have the technology here. I'm sorry."

Shinichi got to his feet. "It's all right. She'll live, right? I'm sure she won't care about a few burns." Aoko's eyebrows creased together. "It… it is a few, right?"

The woman blinked away tears, and Shinichi's stomach dropped. "It's… hard to say. Her face wasn't badly burned, but… her back and upper arms have third degree burns. Luckily you rescued her from the fire when you did; otherwise we may have actually had to amputate." Shinichi drew in a sharp breath. "But… only time will tell if these burns will be a permanent problem or not – we can only be happy that she's alive." Aoko frowned at Heiji and Shinichi. "You two were injured too, weren't you?"

Heiji and Shinichi replied simultaneously. "It's not serious…"

"Bullshit," Kaito scoffed, coming up from behind his wife. "You both are leaking blood like dripping faucets. Come on; take off those shirts and we'll have a look at you." Heiji hesitated for a moment before raising his arms with difficulty and pulled his shirt over his head. He was probably the healthiest of the three, as he only had one large, purplish bruise on his back from when he'd crashed into the tree. His cheek was already scabbing over, and the countless cuts and scrapes on his forearms and face were superficial at the most.

"You'll probably need some ice for that back of yours," Kaito mumbled to himself. With his hand rubbing thoughtfully at his chin, Kaito approached the detective and gave him the once over. Taking one of Heiji's wrists in his hand, the man seemed to ponder something for a quick second before he pulled at the appendage and twisted.

"Ow!" Heiji shouted, wrenching his arm free. "OW! What the hell?!"

"Just as I thought," Kaito chirped. "You've sprained your wrist. We're going to need to wrap that and put some ice on it so it doesn't get worse."

"But did you have to _twist_ it?! What the hell was that for?"

Kaito shrugged. "Best way I know of to check for injuries." Aoko handed him a splint and some gauze, and Kaito sat Heiji back down in his chair and began wrapping his sore wrist amidst much grumbling and protesting from the teenage detective. When that was done, he handed Heiji an ice pack. Heiji glared mildly and took it. "Why don't you lie down on our couch for awhile?" Kaito suggested. "I don't advise both of you to leave anytime soon; it's been a tough night, and you guys need plenty of rest without having to worry about explaining anything to your families. If you need to, you can use the phone over there on the table, but I advise to _not_ call any of your cop friends for this. They're more trouble than their worth right now, considering the stunts you two pulled tonight." Both detectives glanced away in shame. "But, hey… don't worry over it too much. You stood up for what you believed in, and I admire you for that. Unfortunately, the authorities are much stricter when it comes to adhering to rules and regulations." He turned to Shinichi. "Okay, kid. Your turn."

Shinichi raised his arms half way and then winced. It hurt to move them due to all the burns. "I don't think I'll be able to get this shirt off, Kuroba-san," He said meekly. "I think most of it is burned to me."

Kaito inhaled a sharp breath. "Well. Looks like we have another small disaster here." He turned, beckoning to Shinichi over his shoulder. "Come along, let's fix you up." Shinichi followed Kaito to another room that resembled an office except for the wide array of car parts, clocks with their backs taken off, yards and yards of red and white and black and copper wire… really, what did Kaito do in his spare time? So far he had proven himself to be a competent magician and doctor. What was he now, an engineer? Shinichi, however, did not get the chance to ask, as Kaito took that exact moment to pull out a pair of scissors and begin ripping at Shinichi's bloodied and torn clothes. Shinichi winced but stayed quiet.

Kaito quirked his eyebrows at the detective's glare. "I'm not hurting you on purpose. It's not my fault you went running into a burning building without even so much as a jacket to cover yourself. You better be lucky that you can still feel anything at all."

"I know," Shinichi said distractedly, as he was gazing around at Kaito's mess of an office. With every new object Shinichi observed, his suspicions grew. It was awfully convenient for Kaito to just _happen_ to be in Nagoya when the bombs exploded, and then just _happen_ to be close enough to recognize Shinichi and realize that he had a fatally wounded fugitive under his care. It was suspicious that Kaito even knew how to treat third degree burns, or do complex surgical procedures in his bedroom that didn't turn out to be completely disastrous. Though Shinichi was dreading it, he had to go see how bad Psiren's condition was, and then make sure Kaito and his wife hadn't done something to make it worse.

Kaito pulled out a bottle of salve and some more gauze seemingly out of nowhere. "Almost done," He chirped, and his smile was radiant. Shinichi returned it with much less gusto. It was also suspicious how fast Kaito could go from perky to serious to totally expressionless in two seconds flat. Either he was an amazing poker player, or he was making it all up. Yes, he had to be acting. Shinichi was sure that Kaito had just as much to hide as he himself did.

The detective tried to dredge up everything he knew about the elusive, once world renowned Kaito Kuroba. Born in Shibuya, Kaito had been the star of his own magic show from the ages of twenty one to thirty one, at which point his lovely assistant, Eri Mouri, was killed by malfunctioning stage equipment. Everyone had concluded that the loss of his friend and assistant (and alleged lover, but that was a story for another day) had thrown Kaito over the edge, and he just hadn't been able to take the spotlight anymore, which was understandable. He had faded from the public eye after that. The media hadn't spotted him in years, mainly because he moved very frequently. The only reason Shinichi knew of it himself was because he could still remember Ran always saying how often her godfather moved, and how the man often made up the excuse that he just got tired of living at the same place after a year or so. Shinichi knew from his mother that Kaito had married Aoko Nakamori five years prior, and that Yukiko had been quite miffed at not being invited to the wedding. Apparently she and Eri had been friends in high school, and through Eri, Yukiko met Kaito. But Yukiko lost touch with Kaito right after Eri's funeral, just as most of the world did. And now he suddenly appeared again, coming to Conan's funeral and being there now. From what Shinichi could surmise, the only one who had had constant contact with Kaito throughout the years had been… Ran.

Why would Kaito hide from everyone except his goddaughter? If he was really that much of a misanthrope after Eri's death, then why should he care about Ran at all? Was it possible that he maintained contact with Ran only because she reminded him of her mother, and that it was true that he had loved Eri?

Only one way to find out.

"Kuroba-san," Shinichi said. "I have questions."

Kaito's smile had a mischievous edge to it as he taped the final piece of Shinichi's gauze. Shinichi's burns didn't hurt so severely now – the salve had given his skin a refreshing and cool feeling, though now he did look a little bit like a mummy. His forearms were almost completely wrapped, as well as the palms of his hands. "That's funny," Kaito crowed. "Because so do I."

/--/

"Okay," Kaito began, his smile still wide but much less cheery. "I saved your thief friend and I helped you. I think I deserve the first round."

Shinichi shrugged. "Fire away."

"I know that the house blew up, Psiren was in it, and apparently you saved her. But that's about as far as my knowledge goes. What exactly went on tonight, Shinichi-kun?"

Shinichi frowned, leaning against Kaito's desk. "I don't know how much I'm allowed to say. It's complicated."

Kaito cocked his head. "How much _can_ you tell me, then?"

Shinichi sighed and ran his fingers through his bangs. "I… we're in deep shit."

Kaito busted out laughing at the unexpectedness of the curse. "My, what a dirty mouth we have here! …But Shinichi, if you're really in as much trouble as you say, you should confide in _someone_. Three kids can't handle all this by themselves. Somehow, you got yourself involved with phantom thieves and explosives, and now your life, needless to say, is in danger. And it seems that because I helped you, I'm in danger as well. So, if I'm going to die for a cause, it might as well be a cause I'm actually _fighting_ in."

The frown lines on Shinichi's face deepened. Though he hated to admit it, Kaito had a point. If the Black Organization could commit a crime at such a large scale and still manage to elude the police, then there was no doubt that they could kill every single person even the slightest bit connected to the three of them. He'd never considered it in detail before, but Shinichi knew now that his parents were included in his circle of danger and intrigue whether they knew anything or not. And now, that circle also included Kaito. _But_… couldn't it also be possible that Kaito was in on the whole thing? Were they being set up… again? Shinichi had to be wary. "Still... all right, okay. There's a massive crime syndicate after us, Kuroba-san. We're after the same things, and they want to eliminate us to keep us quiet. Blowing up a building we were supposed to be in was just one of their attempts to kill us."

Kaito's eyes widened comically. "What? Are you serious?" Shinichi nodded. "How do you get involved in something like that?! This is big, Shinichi!"

"It's tough to explain, and trust me," Shinichi groaned, "I know."

Kaito rubbed his chin. "What is it that you both are after? Who exactly are these people who are after you? Why are you teaming up with a thief?" At Shinichi's silence, Kaito sighed: "Ah… classified information, is it? Do you really think you can't trust me, Shinichi? I am, after all, a friend of your parents."

Shinichi narrowed his eyes. "Yeah, but even my parents don't know at this point. Why should I trust you?"

Kaito frowned, and his eyes narrowed as well. "Why don't you ask those questions," he said, "and _then_ you can decide whether to trust me or not with your life, Shin-kun."

The teenager started at the serious turn both Kaito's voice and expression had taken. There it was again – that blank face that revealed nothing. For someone who was always able to observe the minutest details of a person's expression and mannerisms, Kaito's ambiguity disconcerted Shinichi. "You're not just a magician," Shinichi began in an authoritative tone. "You're also a trained medic, and judging by all the tools and parts you have in this room…" He gestured around them. "You're a working mechanic of some kind. You just happened to be in the right place and time, and not even skipping a beat you jump in to help us without knowing the score. You have a mastery of your own expression, and can change it at will. And don't try to tell me you don't know what I'm talking about," Shinichi interjected just as Kaito opened his mouth. "Because you do. Every face you've pulled so far has been perfectly appropriate for the situation, yet you reveal nothing. You have the perfect poker face, which is not something a normal person would need to practice. Unless you're a poker player you would fall into that 'normal' person category, but to be honest Kuroba-san you don't seem like the type."

The man smiled. "It sounds like you have more."

Shinichi nodded. "You've hidden from the world all these years, Kuroba-san, and never have you involved yourself with other people's affairs before. Why would you care anything about helping us now? How could you have been close enough to that building to notice me and notice that I needed help for my female friend, unless you were _spying _on us?" Shinichi pushed off the desk and backed away from Kaito, preparing for the worst. Wrongdoers tended to get violent once they got called out for their crimes. "My distrust of you isn't because I don't know you, Kaito. I distrust you because I _do_ know you, maybe not on a personal level, but I do know you. I know your history. Helping save a criminal and her detective friends from death isn't what you'd do." The room fell silent. Kaito had his head down, his eyes shielded by his bangs as his shoulders shook slightly from laughing. Shinichi backed away a foot more. Was he going mad? But when Kaito raised his head to look at the detective again, his demeanor seemed perfectly reasonable, though guarded as it often was.

"It's funny," Kaito murmured, wiping tears of laughter from his eyes. "That you can notice all of that in such a short time, but you can't see what's right in front of you."

Shinichi tensed. "What are you talking about?"

Chuckling, Kaito shook his head. "Nothing, forget it. …You're right Shin-kun; I'm not just a magician. You're also right to assume that I'm a mechanic, and that I've been trained extensively as a medic. And you wanna know something else?" He whispered. "I'm a trained assassin too." Shinichi's eyes widened, and glancing quickly around the room he found a roundish metal object on a bookshelf, grabbed it, and held it over his head with the intent (or threat) to throw it. Kaito's hands waved frantically. "Wait! Let me finish! …You were also right about me working for the army, or at least partially right." Kaito shrugged and smiled slightly, shoving his hands in his jean pockets. "I work for the FBI."

Shinichi narrowed his eyes further. "You're lying."

Kaito rolled his eyes, pulled a leather wallet out of his pocket, and flipped it open. In one transparent pocket was a gleaming golden badge with the words 'Federal Bureau of Investigations: Department of Justice' engraved into the surface. An eagle with its wings fanned out sat on top of it. Shinichi gaped. He squinted his eyes to mentally record every detail. If it was a fake, it was a very good, almost impossible to recognize fake, because Shinichi had seen authentic FBI badges before and Kaito's looked just like them. "You're American?"

Kaito nodded. "Born there, yes." He leaned over to clear a chair of a pile of junk and sat down, crossing his legs. He steepled his fingers. "Shinichi… I admit that I was deceiving you before. I know exactly who it is you're up against." He leaned forward for a conspiratorial whisper. "The Black Organization."

"You mean you're tracking them?"

Kaito nodded again. "You better bring your Kansai friend in here – he needs to hear this, too." Shinichi did so, and he returned with a tired and very annoyed looking Heiji. "Okay, Heiji, your friend caught me in the act. I've been lying to you both so far."

Heiji rubbed sleep out of his eyes. "I figured that much," He mumbled, much to the surprise of Shinichi and Kaito both. "But since you saved Psiren, I figured that ya couldn't be too bad. I thought I'd just keep an eye on ya until ya tried somethin'."

Kaito smiled. "You both are very astute. Impressive." He turned exclusively to Heiji. "I work for the FBI."

Heiji scowled. "Yeah, right; I'm gonna have ta see some-" Kaito flashed Heiji his ID card. Heiji blinked. "Oh. All right, then."

"It started eight years ago," Kaito explained, "When my assistant was killed in an equipment accident. You're probably really familiar to this story, Shinichi, since it happened to your best friend's mom." Heiji raised his eyebrows at that. "I had been working completely as a magician at the point, but something about her death struck me as being fishy. So I began to investigate, and I found something strange. That equipment… nothing was wrong with it. She had been _murdered_." Shinichi's eyes widened, which Kaito took as a cue that the kid was buying it and that he should continue with the story.

"I started to investigate further, and I found something even more interesting. Eri – that's my assistant, Heiji – had been laundering money from our magician shows, using the excuse that she was using it for repairs and new equipment and the like. But really she was keeping it for herself in an England bank account. There was more than 50 million in that account… I don't know what she had been using it for, but it couldn't have been any good. As I dug farther, I discovered that she had been dealing with a crime syndicate for a reason that still escapes me. But before I could get to the bottom of it all, the Black Ops found me out. Before I knew it, I had been brutally attacked by two guys in black, the bank account had been emptied and I was left with a dead trail again. That's how the FBI found me and recruited me to their cause – I was already waist deep into the conspiracy, anyway…" He lifted his shirt to show off the scars from his 'attack', and Shinichi and Heiji winced. His whole stomach was slashed with deep scars.

Shinichi was in utter disbelief. "Ran's mom was with the_ Black Organization_?!"

Heiji yawned. "Who's Ran?"

"My best friend," Shinichi said quickly, staring at Kaito. "That can't be true. I knew Eri. She was the sweetest woman I've even known."

Kaito shrugged. "I believe your idol is Sherlock Holmes, correct? Well, surely you know his most famous line: Once you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, no matter how improbable, is the truth." Kaito being a FBI agent and Eri Mouri being a crook was about as improbable as you could get. Shinichi swallowed. "Anyway…" He sighed. "My latest assignment was to check out a suspicious home in Nagoya after a power outage. My sources led me to believe that Gidayu Hosokawa's summer home in Nagoya would be attacked because of his keeping of one of the few rare prints of the Mermaid's Retribution. We didn't know exactly where he kept it, but we assumed that since many of the deaths were in Japan, that his house would logically be the next target. And since you were spotted taking the print from Yuhara, we figured we'd search out the last painting to be found in Japan. Unfortunately, that didn't end up too well, as you can plainly see."

Shinichi's eyebrows creased together. "But... Why are you looking for the Mermaid?"

Kaito clenched his fists. "Because a Black Organization member we interrogated said that was what the Black Org is after," He growled. "I don't give a damn _why_ they want it, but if it's important to them than it's important to me, too! I have to stop them once and for all, and make sure they can't hurt anyone else again. Shinichi, I don't think Eri was a bad person, either, but somehow they convinced her to work for them. I need to get revenge, Shinichi. I need to make sure Eri wasn't doing what she seemed to be doing."

The Detective of the East smiled sadly. "That's why you came out of hiding, isn't it? Because you wanted to solve the mystery of her last days and her death."

Kaito nodded, averting his eyes. "Yeah… the reason why I went into hiding in the first place was because of the Black Organization… but now, I can't hide anymore. They're closing in on what they want, and we have to stop them _now. _Whatever they want, it can't be used for good, that's for sure._"_

"Say we choose to believe you," Heiji broke in, wide awake now. "What happens next?"

Kaito turned to him. "We exchange information. You tell me all you know, and I tell you all I know. Then we use that information to bring them down once and for all." At the reluctant faces Heiji and Shinichi pulled: "To ease your mind, I can tell you for sure that if you're working with Psiren to bring down this organization, she won't be arrested. We're willing to ignore the smaller fry in favor of the bigger ones." Heiji and Shinichi looked at each other. Their minds were spinning with this new information. Kaito was a FBI agent after the Black Organization? Eri Mouri was one of them? Could it all be true? Could they trust him?

When either boy thought deeply enough about it, it was obvious that they didn't have a choice. If not for Kaito, one of them might not be alive right now.

Hesitant though he was, Shinichi conceded. "All right, I believe you," he said softly. "We'll tell you what we know - right, Hattori?"

Heiji snorted. "Yeah, I guess."

His face blank once more, Kaito continued. "I guess you should just go ahead and tell me then. How much do you know?"

"I know that Psiren's mentor, the first Psiren, was killed by the Black Organization as well, and now _she_ wants revenge. I know that they also killed…" Shinichi hesitated. "They killed my brother when he was with me on Phoenix Tower, because I had been snooping in their business, I guess. They missed me and killed Conan, and broke my leg."

Kaito grimaced. "I didn't know… sorry to hear that."

Shinichi frowned. "Yeah… well, Psiren came to me and Heiji asking for us to help clear her name and bring down the Organization, and we both agreed. So we've been working together to help stop the Black Org because of the people they've killed that were closest to us three. They want the Pandora – a gem that glows red under a full moon and is supposed to weep tears of immortality. But the Pandora has been lost for years, and the only way to find it is by acquiring both the Eagle's Eye gem and the Mermaid's Retribution painting and using the clues within them to find it."

Heiji continued from where Shinichi had left off. "We also know, from tonight, that the Black Organization dresses entirely in black, and that they have one tall, blond haired member and a short kinda fat lookin' one who looks like he might be from Western Japan."

Kaito pondered for a long time. "…Interesting. So that's what they want… immortality." He looked up at the teenagers. "Thanks a lot, boys. You truly are a service to your country."

The boys blushed. "Tell that ta the police," Heiji mumbled. "We're probably wanted criminals now."

Kaito brushed off the subject with a wave of his hand. "Don't worry about that; we'll make sure you guys are okay. It might take some time, but you two will be cleared from that little misdeed, I assure you. None of the three of you will end up in prison." They both nodded. "Now! I think we've done enough uncovering for the night. I think the two of you should let your parents know where you are, and then drop off to bed. Just tell them you're crashing over at each other's house going over case files or something. Pretty much fail proof, that. Aoko will help you if you need anything during the night."

Shinichi turned to face Kaito as he approached the door. "But what if Kuroba-san-"

"Nakamori," Kaito said flatly.

"Huh?"

"Nakamori," Kaito repeated. "Her name is Aoko Nakamori. She didn't change her name when we got married, so don't call her Kuroba, okay? She gets upset when people do that. Also, it keeps her from being linked back to me if anything should happen while I'm in the field."

Shinichi blinked. "Um… sure?" He and Heiji bade the older man goodnight, and then the door clicked shut behind them. Kaito reached into his pocket again and pulled out his cell phone, hitting speed dial and pushing the receiver up to his ear. He stared up at the ceiling and sighed.

"Hello?" He said in Sonoko's voice. "Like, hi Mouri-san. Listen, me and Ran found each other in the mall, and it's been so long since we've seen each other – yes, oh right, sorry! She's at my place now; you know the one – right on the beach?" Kaito giggled nervously. "Yeah, I'm _so_ sorry I didn't call, but… we were having so much fun, ya know? I like, _totally_ forgot… no, she's sleeping now, the party pooper. Can I take a message?" He nodded along with Kogoro's voice. "Uh-huh… no problem. Thanks for being so understanding! Bye now!" Kaito hung up, and his eyes went blank with fatigue.

"I'm sorry I had to tarnish your good name like that," Kaito whispered reverently to his long gone friend and partner. "I know you would never steal from us. But I had to do what I had to do, you know? Those boys can't figure out who or what I am, yet. And they _definitely_ can't find about Ran…" He closed his eyes. "It would crush Shinichi's heart if he found out… as well as hers. But I think they secret's about to come out, anyway." He sighed, allowing the memories of the horrific night he'd just suffered to resurface in his mind again. He really hadn't known if Ran would make it, and it had almost broken him to pieces…

"I couldn't protect her this time, Eri… I'm sorry…"

-------------------------------------------

Vermouth frowned at the photo. "I had suspected it…" Her fists clenched. "But I didn't really think… after all this time… Bourbon is still alive."

Gin faced her with mild surprise. "You mean it's actually him? How can ya tell?"

"Oh, trust me," Vermouth growled, "I can tell." Only his profile was visible, and the low grade traffic camera had made the image grainy, but still there was no doubt in her mind. The fuzzy, unkempt hair, those piercing blue eyes, that confident way he held himself… yes, Kaito, no, _Bourbon_ was alive and well. And it seemed that he and his partner had teamed up again – this time with the help of two teenage detectives on their side. "After all these years… you were right after all, Cognac." She flashed the man, who was standing beside and to the left of her, a distracted smile. "Your plan may not have had the desired effect, but the alternative has proven much better. Good job." Cognac grinned and nodded proudly.

In a corner a few feet away, Vodka said softly. "Bullshit," he said to Gin. "You know if we pulled some shit like that, we'd get blasted. But pretty boy gets away with it just 'cause he's sleepin' with her." Gin scoffed.

"Now, we have to figure out how to snuff him out. We may not know where he's been hiding, but we know for certain now that he's alive. That's a start. And wherever he is, Eri and those boys are most likely there as well. If they're even still alive, that is." Vermouth chuckled. "The Boss will not be pleased to discover that an ex-member is still active, but at least now we know what to do."

Vodka's eyes widened. "We do?" He winced as three very powerful glares were directed his way. He decided there and then to shut his mouth for the duration of the meeting, like he normally did.

"Yes," Vermouth said, annoyed. "We do. First, we must figure out who sent out that call-"

Almost as if on cue, the door to the room slammed open and a skinny young man with blonde hair strode in, his hands full of manila folders. "I apologize for the interruption," He said smoothly, walking right up to his resident boss. "But I've had the police channels analyzed for unusual commands. It seems that a woman named Aoko Nakamori made a specific request that all under her command keep an eye out for any suspicious activity in Nagoya earlier this evening. Once the power outage hit, all her units were mobilized to the area, so they were just in the right position to interfere once Cognac's bombs went off."

"Son of a bitch!" Gin hissed. "Isn't this exactly what Fujiwara is for? To protect against too many people gettin' wise of our plans?"

"Yes," Vermouth mumbled. "That's true. Considering that his disappearance has rendered 90 percent of the Tokyo police department utterly useless, I would surmise that this Aoko woman had information from either a rat within our own organization, or someone who has been keeping tabs on us." She scowled. "Probably that damn Starling or Akai again… they're always after us. I figured they would've left us alone after I killed his girlfriend, however."

Cognac frowned. "No."

Vermouth turned to him, startled. "No?"

He shook his head. "I don't think that it's Starling or Akai at all. They're much more… flashy, don't you think? They wouldn't work so behind the scenes like that. I think that this time, whoever tipped off Nakamori was someone who had much more to lose should he be discovered…"

Vermouth's eyes widened. "You think it's Kaito."

Cognac nodded. "I know it's Kaito. That bastard has probably been simultaneously guiding Margarita and tipping off the police for years now, while keeping his cowardly ass deep in the shadows. That would explain why Gin, Vodka, Rum, Tequila, and even I failed to kill her once and for all. She's been expecting us to come after her from day one, and her beloved Kaito has been showing her just how to evade our grasp."

"That," Gin mumbled, "or she's just damn lucky."

The room seemed to drop ten degrees with this new information. Vermouth slammed her fist into the table, and the young operative next to her jumped. She turned to him. "What else did you find out? Do you know where this woman lives? Do you know her routine, her acquaintances, _anything_?_" _The operative shook his head.

"No, boss. I tried to uncover that information, but I discovered the most peculiar thing… her data files are completely blank. No address, no phone, no family… nothing. It appears that it all went missing just after Fujiwara removed himself from his position…"

Vermouth smirked. "He's protecting her."

The operative nodded. "Then Bourbon really has thought of everything." He watched his boss anxiously as she slipped past, pacing up and down the room's wood floor, her heels clacking as she went. Vermouth's eyes were narrowed and her eyebrows furrowed, her arms folded behind her. She was deep in thought, yet she was grinning maniacally. Apparently she had already thought of a plan, or she was just imagining spilling all her enemies' blood.

"If we find this woman," she murmured, "We find Kaito. If we find Kaito, we find Margarita. If we find Margarita… then no one will be able to stop us." She giggled, turning once more to the young man holding the police files. "Search harder. I want every rock unturned, but don't make a fuss about it. Use Fujiwara to your advantage. Find this woman, and track her down. I want a man following her movements at every moment, and then when you get the slightest whiff of Bourbon, kill her _and _him. Needless to say, I don't think Margarita by herself will be a bother to us anymore."

"Hmm? What's that?" Cognac purred. "You don't want to play with them a little first?"

Vermouth grinned. "Oh, no, my dear. There _will_ be playing." Four heads turned as the sound of heels clicking resonated from the back of the room.

"Yes," Rum said smirking, "_Much_ playing." She brandished one of the knives she always kept on hand. "And I'll make sure I do the most of it."

-------------------------------------------

"Yo, Kudo! She's awake!"

Ran blinked her eyes open and then severely wished she hadn't. Even that small action sent fiery pain jolting through her insides. Her back ached, her arms ached, her eyes ached, her teeth ached. _Everything_ ached. She half wanted someone to shoot her clean in the head and get it over with, but the concerned face hovering over her quickly eradicated this thought.

"Psiren," Heiji whispered. "Can you hear me?" Ran tried to nod, but she found her neck to be stiff. So she settled on making a guttural noise in the back of her throat. "Listen… me an' Kudo have to leave now to do damage control. We're all over the news ya know – sayin' we're harborin' a fugitive. The police are lookin' for us, and so are our families. We gotta fix things before we go any further – otherwise the police will get us before the Black Organization ever gets a chance to," He said flatly. Shaking his head in disbelief, he continued: "Kudo's goin' back to his house an' I gotta go back ta get Kazuha, but we'll be back, all right? Didn't want ya to worry." Heiji reached into his shirt and pulled out a silver chain with a small red bag attached. Ran stared at it in confusion. "This is for you," He said with a blush. "It's my onamori. It'll help ya heal faster… I think." Leaning over, Heiji carefully looped it around her head and let it rest against her neck. He got up to leave, but Ran's soft, hoarse voice stopped him.

"Do you…" Ran licked her cracked lips, and tasted blood. "Do you actually believe in that stuff?"

Heiji shrugged. "If a jewel can weep tears of immortality, then I guess a charm can protect you. I don't know, though. Kazuha always wants me to wear it."

Ran's eyebrows furrowed. "Kazuha… that's the girl back at the hotel. Where is she now?"

Heiji blushed. "Still back at the hotel, I figure. We've been staying there together since I first got here – but not in the same room or nothin'!"

Ran's lips twitched. "Of course."

"She always tries to find out what I'm doin' here… I've found her stalkin' me loads of times, but I finally told her I was on a really important, really secret case, and so she shut up about it."

"She's dear to you, isn't she?"

Heiji snorted, though his dark face did lighten a bit more. "More like a royal pain in the ass."

"Tell me about her."

Heiji stared at her. He couldn't figure out for the life of him why she cared about something as trivial as Kazuha, but he merely shrugged, gave it up to being delirious from blood loss and started to tell Psiren what she wanted to know. "Well, she's… insane, bossy, stubborn, incredibly loud…" His eyes softened just a smidgen. "Brave, funny, honest, and warm."

Ran chuckled, but she winced when the movement caused her wounds to throb. "Somewhere between stubborn and warm, it almost sounded like you like her."

Heiji scoffed, looking away in embarrassment. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Ran frowned, closing her eyes. "She loves you, you know," She said with a cough. "That's why she gives you such a hard time." She knew that from experience; she did the same thing to Shinichi.

A long silence from Heiji, and then: "I know."

Ran raised her eyebrows and opened her eyes, giving him a pointed look. "So what do you intend to do about it?"

Heiji threw his hands up in defeat. "Nothing, I guess. I don't know! I don't want to hurt her, but I'm not so great with this romance thing, either. Women are way too confusin'."

"Oh, we're not hard to understand. You just have to be willing to listen." Heiji and Psiren looked up to see Aoko standing in the doorway, holding up a box of bandages. "Would you mind clearing out for a moment, Heiji-kun? I want to change Psiren's bandages before they get too soaked again."

Heiji nodded. "Okay." He glanced over to the injured woman and offered a sheepish little wave before sliding his hands in his pockets and striding out of the room. Aoko closed the door gently behind him, and then turned to Ran. Her eyes were filled with tears she was trying desperately to hold back.

"Ran… look at you…"

Ran sighed, struggling to sit up. "Please don't look at me like that, Aoko-chan. I feel bad enough as it is."

"I'm not trying to make you feel guilty, Ran, it's just… why didn't you listen? Kaito told you not to wait, and you went anyway. You could've been killed! You're so headstrong," Aoko snapped, setting the box down on the bed. "It's infuriating!"

"Funny," Ran said. "Kaito said the same thing about you." Aoko was struck speechless. "I know I should've listened, but… even if we knew for certain that it was a trap, we would've had to go anyway to clean up any loose ends. I'm sorry, Aoko, I really am." She clenched her fist, staring at the droplets of blood staining the cloth wrapped around her knuckles. Aoko snapped back to the present and proceeded to change Ran's bandages. "All this work… for nothing! The Black Organization has the Mermaid, and we still don't know where the emerald is." She covered her head with her hands.

Aoko patted her arm. "Don't be discouraged, Ran. Good always triumphs over evil. It's the law of the universe."

Ran peeked at Aoko through a space in her fingers. "…You're… joking, right?"

Aoko shook her head. "No, of course not. Ran, the goodness in people's hearts will always preserve over the wicked minority. Just look at Kaito – he could've easily chosen to stick with the Organization after Eri died, but he realized the error of his ways and now he's working to save lives, not end them. If nothing else helps you feel better, you should at least feel good that you have someone like Kaito helping you out. Plus, you have _three_ detectives on your side! So don't worry, Ran-chan…" The older woman held Ran as she cried. "It may seem hopeless, but there's always a chance things will get better. Don't give up Ran. Don't give up hope. Without hope, there's nothing to look forward to. Nothing to keep you going."

"Truer words were never spoken." Kaito randomly appeared leaned up against the night table, his arms folded in front of him. He smiled at Ran. "Good morning, sleepyhead. You gave us quite the scare, there. How are you feeling?"

Ran squeezed her eyes shut and leaned back against the headboard with a groan. "Like hell."

Kaito chuckled. "As I would suspect." His face sobered. "Your friends are gone. Said they needed to come clean to their families. Not the best solution in my opinion, but I trust the Kudos and the Hattoris. I know the extra manpower will be good for our cause, but part of me think it's still more trouble than it's worth."

Aoko frowned. "But the problem is… how _much_ should we involve them…? Obviously they can't know about Ran, and they can't know about you."

"Of course. But haven't you heard?" Kaito grinned. "I'm a FBI man now."

"_What_?" Ran asked.

Aoko rolled her eyes. "Oh god… _again?_" She smiled reluctantly as her husband waggled his eyebrows. "I thought you were done using that cover after you convinced me to go out with you."

"Hey, if it works once…"

Ran frowned and looked down at her hands. "My dad," She blurted. "He'll be looking for me. And what about Shinichi, and Sonoko, and everyone else I'm in contact with? I can't just _disappear,_ and I can't come up with a good reason for all of my injuries. I think one day is all I'm going to be able to manage as far as an alibi goes. Kaito, what are we going to _do?_"

Aoko and Kaito glanced at each other. "Ran," Kaito started slowly. "I don't know how to tell you this, but… it's been longer than a day…"

"You've been unconscious for _five _days, Ran-chan," Aoko interjected, biting her lip. "So far we've been able to convince your father that you're at Sonoko's and convince Sonoko that you're sick, but… they've been calling all day looking for you. Your father's really worried. And Sonoko's concerned because you and Shinichi haven't been at school. It probably won't be long before they start coming to look for you…"

Ran sighed, her eyes fluttering closed. "Oh no," She moaned. "I'm doomed." Her head jerked up at the sound of angry banging at the front door.

"And there's Mr. Sunshine now," Kaito mumbled sarcastically, standing up. "Don't worry; I'll take care of it. Your secret's safe, Ran. I promise you that." He left quickly, and soon the sound of the door opening and Kogoro's irate voice could be heard.

"Where's my daughter?" Kogoro roared. "I know that was you who called me the other day – Ran's friend has no idea where she is! It's been five days, Kaito! What the hell are you doing?!"

"Now, now," Kaito said calmly, and Ran leaned against Aoko's shoulder for support. "I don't know where she is. But I'm sure that she's fine. Ran's a smart girl…"

"Bullshit! What are you acting so calm about? She could be dead right now, and all you can say is 'calm down?'" There was sign of a scuffle, and although Ran tried to sit up and go to both her father and her mentor's rescues, Aoko held her back with merely a hand. "Where is she? I _know_ you know, Kaito! She's always over here! You're always teaching her those dumbass magic tricks… putting her in danger just like you did my wife!"

"Kogoro!" Kaito shouted, and then dropped his voice back to his customary casual tone. "You're being unreasonable. I'd never put Ran _or _Eri in danger; you know that."

"Bullshit!" Kogoro shouted back. "Bullshit!" Something slammed into a wall, and suddenly Kogoro was in the bedroom doorway, eyes wide as he stared right at Ran. Kaito was close behind, rubbing his jaw where he had been punched. He'd have one hell of a bruise later. Kogoro gasped. "Psiren?!" Ran frowned; she wasn't still wearing her mask, was she? But when she slowly reached up to touch her face, she could feel _something_ covering the top part of her face, but she couldn't figure out what. Whatever it was, it was keeping her father from seeing who she was. Or maybe it was her injuries that were doing that. Kogoro whirled on Kaito. "So it's _you_ who's been helping the Psiren, not Shinichi or Hattori! While my daughter's missing, you've been doing only God knows what with a wanted criminal! What the hell are you thinking?!"

"Tantei-san," Ran intoned softly, and Kogoro turned. The room fell silent. "I'd appreciate it greatly if you didn't speak of me as if I'm not in your presence. Please, calling me 'Beautiful' will suffice."

Kogoro growled. "You're the reason why so many bad things have happened, so I don't give a _shit_ what you think or want. If not for you, a teenage boy would still have his little brother." Ran winced and looked away in shame. "And you!" He turned back to Kaito. "Is this what you've been teaching my daughter? To value the lives of criminals? To save them? No wonder she ran away; you've been filling her head with dangerous nonsense!"

Kaito tensed. "Now, look-"

"No, you look! I'm tired of-"

Aoko stood up. "Mouri-san, please..."

Kaito held his hand up. "Stay out of this, Aoko – he obviously isn't thinking too clearly right now, and I'd hate to have to break his neck if he did something to you."

Kogoro scoffed. "I'd like to see you try!"

"WAIT!" Ran yelled. Every head turned to her. "Your daughter is fine," She said, and this time she spoke with her own inflections, not Psiren's. "And I know that, because she's sitting right in front of you."

Kaito growled in warning. "_Psiren…!"_

Ran shook her head. "No, I'm not Psiren. Not really. Daddy, don't you see?" She reached up and pulled the cloth bandage from around her head, revealing the forehead, eyes, and expression of someone Kogoro knew quite well. He fell to his knees.

"Ran…?"

"I _am_ your daughter, Kogoro," Ran told him, tears spilling down her cheeks. "Please Daddy, don't be mad at me…"

-------------------------------------------

Yusaku pushed up his glasses on his nose. "I must say… I'm disappointed in you, Shinichi."

Shinichi hung his head. He was sitting in his living room with his parents after telling them the truth of what had been going on with him for the last two months. It was a long and grueling story with a lot of emotion attached, and now Shinichi was feeling physically and mentally drained – nowhere near prepared for the lecture he knew was coming from both Yukiko and Yusaku Kudo. "I know."

His father began to pace. "All this time, you knew exactly what was going on in regards to your brother's death, and you kept me and your mother in the dark. What's worse, you've put yourself in horrible danger by working with a wanted criminal and being _stupid_ enough to try and take down a whole crime syndicate by yourself."

Shinichi winced, realizing that his father's words were almost exactly the same as the words he himself had said to Psiren two months ago. "I know."

"And then, the icing on the cake is that you're now _wanted_ for harboring a fugitive. After all those years it took for you to gain the respect of the authorities, you break it in an instant by protecting someone you care about over your station. How… honorable of you."

"Exactly," Yukiko said with a nod, her eyes shining with angry tears. "My baby was killed because you were fighting for what you believed in. And now you want revenge? All this time you've tried to hide it all from us to keep us safe?! How could you be so thoughtful and stupid?!"

Shinichi blinked. This isn't exactly how he had expected this conversation to go.

"What nerve do those fools in Nagoya have, anyway?" Yukiko continued. "Putting out a warrant for _my_ child's arrest? I don't think so! I will make sure you will be cleared of those charges, Shinichi – count on that."

Yusaku grunted in agreement. "And to think that Kuroba-san works for the American government… can't say I'm all that surprised, actually."

Shinichi furrowed his eyebrows. "Um, dad…?"

"We want to help you." Yusaku said, folding his arms and smirking. "I'm insulted that you didn't come to me sooner, Shinichi. You know how I love a good case. And if these people are as bad as you say they are – as bad as we know them to be because of Conan-" His expression dimmed. "Then we owe it to ourselves and the people we care about to bring down this Organization. They must be stopped." He clapped his son on the back. "And they have to learn that nobody messes with the Kudo family. _No one._"

"Damn straight!" Yukiko snapped. "I'll make them pay for what they did to both of my sons! And for all the other innocent people they've hurt and killed."

"We should relocate," Yusaku mumbled, tapping his chin. "If they know Shinichi is working with the Psiren, then we're all in danger by staying here. We have to move quickly."

Shinichi felt a smile forming on his face, a warm and fuzzy feeling bubbling up in his chest at his parents' support. "Thanks… for understanding…"

Yukiko frowned. "Don't get us wrong, Shin-chan - it was still extremely irresponsible of you to put all this weight on your shoulders, but we'll deal with that later." She grabbed her purse and looped it over her arm. "Right now, we should meet up with Kaito-kun and decide what to do next. And yes, that means we're going. I've already lost one child," She said with a sniffle, "I'm not going to lose you, too. Either we do this together, or we don't do this at all. Understood?"

Shinichi nodded. "Yeah, I got it." This was it, he thought. The final stretch. The Black Organization was obviously getting stronger and bolder by the day, but so were they. Shinichi had no doubt that the criminals would be stopped. With him and his father, Heiji, Psiren, and Kaito working together, the Black Org didn't stand a chance. Or so he hoped. _Conan_, he thought with a sigh. _Don't worry… it'll all be over soon…_

/--/

Kazuha paced up and down the entranceway, her eyes trained on her ever moving feet though they occasionally slid towards the door. Where was he? He always came home a little late because of this 'case' he was working on, but never like this. He had called her every day for the last five days, telling her that he was staying with another detective and working hard to solve some case, but he was supposed to be back by now. He said he would be back to get her this morning, and it was already noon! What if something had happened? Where was he? When Kazuha got her hands on him, she'd-

She frowned. She'd probably yell at him, check to see if he was all right, hug him tight, and then punch him in the gut for making her worry. Yes, that sounded like a good enough plan.

The room resounded with the metallic click of the lock turning in the door. Kazuha whirled towards the door - arms crossed – and schooling her face into the most pissed off, utterly disapproving expression that she could manage, she strode toward the now unlocked door and threw it open. "Heiji, where have you-" Her eyes widened. "Heiji!"

Heiji grinned sheepishly as he followed Kazuha's gaze to his splinted arm. His back still hurt a little, but he was able to prevent himself from tensing while in Kazuha's presence. "Look, I know it looks bad, but it looks a lot worse than it is." Kazuha bit her lip. "Come on, we can't waste any time. We have to get out of here, now! I'll explain everythin' on the way."

"Heiji," Kazuha whispered in awe, tears in her eyes. "What happened to you?"

"A hell of a lot," Heiji said, grabbing Kazuha's shoulders. His face was alive with excitement and fear at the same time. "We have to get you someplace safe, Kazu. You're in danger just because I came to get you like this. We're going to go live with a friend of mine for awhile, and don't say anything snarky, because this is serious, okay?"

Kazuha smiled softly. "Okay," she whispered. Heiji stood dumbfounded as Kazuha scurried around collecting the few things she'd brought with her from Osaka. Soon, she was at the doorway again, suitcase in hand. She nodded, and Heiji looked solemn as he opened the door for her and led the way out. She didn't know what was going on, but she didn't care. Just the fact that Heiji was willing to include her was enough. Kazuha was sure that Heiji would let her know the rest later, when things had settled down.

Kazuha followed him without a word.

XXXXX

Next time, on '**Don't Play by the Rules': **…Actually, I don't know. XD This was as far as my outline went, so… (Never thought I'd get this far!) This is the end, folks. Thanks for reading; it's been an awesome ride… -is attacked by sharp objects-

AGH! All right, all right, I'm kidding! Geez, can't you take a joke?!? –clears throat- Anyway, next time: well, let's make it a surprise, shall we? See you next time!


	16. Great Disappearing Act

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Detective Conan.

-------------------------------------------

**Don't Play by the Rules**

Chapter Fourteen: Great Disappearing Act

The silence that filled the room then was palpable and suffocating. All eyes were trained on Ran's worn, tear-streaked face as the words she had just voiced seemed to echo in the quiet. _"I am your daughter, Kogoro." _ Kogoro watched Psiren - no, his one and only daughter - with wide, disbelieving eyes. Now that the bandages had been removed from around her eyes, there was no doubt that Psiren _was_ his daughter, and that somehow, she had gotten herself seriously injured. The shock of seeing the grotesque burns marring her once flawless features was even harder to bear than the lies. He wanted to shout, to cry, to scream, but his vocal chords refused to work no matter how much he willed them to. The only thing he could manage of himself was to move his mouth slightly in an up and down motion, occasionally making a soft grunt that resembled one clearing his or her throat.

"Ran…" He said again, his body still crumbled against the wall where he had fallen. "Ran?" His voice was stronger this time. "_Ran?!?_"

"I'm so sorry, Daddy," Ran murmured, her words broken by hiccuping sobs. "I never wanted to lie to you…"

Hands trembling, Kogoro grabbed the edge of a nearby dresser and attempted to haul himself to his feet. When he failed, both Kaito and Aoko approached to help him, though he responded with a violent swipe in their general direction. "Leave me alone," He growled. Aoko and Kaito did so. Even as he said the words, his eyes remained on Ran. The betrayed, disbelieving look he shot her damaged more than the injuries, and the shame it caused in her made Ran almost want to finish the job the Black Organization had started on that dark rooftop so many months ago.

"Daddy… I-"

"All this time…" Kogoro hissed, finally, albeit shakily, getting to his feet. He stumbled once over the first aid kit sitting on the floor near the bed, but he continued on as if he hadn't even noticed. He shuffled over to Ran's side, staring down at her like he'd never seen her before. "All this time, you…" He clenched his fists, glancing away from Ran to gaze at his feet. "All this time, _you've_ been the one causing all this trouble? My own daughter? The daughter of a detective, no less? Why, Ran? What the fuck were you _thinking?!" _Ran winced at his rising, angry voice. "Were you even thinking at all? How could you do this, especially after what happened to your mother?! Do you even know how much damage you've done? All the people you've hurt? Jesus, Ran, Shinichi's kid brother _died_ because of your stupid heists!"

"Stop that," Aoko snapped. "It wasn't Ran's fault. She's not the one who shot off that gun!"

Kogoro gestured towards Ran, though he refused to look at her. "But he wouldn't have even been there if it wasn't for her! Not to mention the deep shit you'll be in if you're ever caught!!" He whirled on Kaito, who was still as impassive as ever. "And you! What the fuck do you have to do with all this? All this time, you've been _helping_ her? Helping her commit crimes and wreak havoc?! You've been turning my daughter into a dangerous sociopath! And for what? What do you gain from this, Kaito? What does Ran? Are you teaching her to take the easy way out? To manipulate people and steal for her own selfish gain?!"

Kaito smirked. "Trust me, Kogoro – being a sociopath is far from easy." The magician was not the slightest bit surprised when he next found himself pinned against the wall with a meaty hand at his throat, Kogoro's face inches from his own. The man was enraged, and understandably so. "Easy, Kogoro. Let's take it easy. You don't want to turn into a dangerous sociopath yourself, now do you?"

"Fuck you," Kogoro snarled. "I'll do what I have to, to make sure you never instill your dumbass ideas into my daughter again. If I _ever_ see you within a hundred feet of me and my family again, I'll rip your guts out and feed them to you."

Kaito tsked. "Damn, what a way to go." He made a soft choking sound as Kogoro's hand tightened around his throat.

"Kogoro!" Aoko shouted, approaching him with caution. "Kogoro, stop this. You don't really want to hurt him! Please, just allow us to explain! You've got it all wrong! Kaito and Ran aren't sociopaths or anything of that kind; they're doing their best to _stop_ disaster, not create it!" Kogoro gave no signs of backing down, so Aoko continued to try and soothe the beast. "Don't you wonder why Ran decided to take the first Psiren's place? Don't you care to know why your sweet, innocent daughter would put herself at risk like this? Because there _is_ a reason, Kogoro. And I can guarantee that you won't figure it out by choking the life out of my poor husband." Kogoro and Aoko stared each other down for a long moment. "Please, Kogoro. Just one minute of your time is all I ask."

Kogoro seemed to think it over, and then released Kaito with more force than necessary. He turned fully toward Aoko, folding his arms. "You have thirty seconds."

Kaito coughed into his fist, glaring mildly at Kogoro's back. "Ran didn't just take up the guise of Phantom Thief because she enjoys a thrill, you know," He began, walking over to stand by Ran. He placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, ignoring the growl of warning Kogoro gave in response. "She actually has quite a connection to the original Psiren, and when the original died, she thought it imperative to take her place. You remember, don't you? When the Psiren was suspected dead, I mean? It was all over the news… the sudden disappearance of an international icon… the strange behavior she exhibited right before her disappearance… the one jewel of hers that was never returned…"

Kogoro narrowed his eyes. "Cut to the chase."

Kaito looked right into Ran's blue eyes. "All that happened eight years ago, when Ran was nine years old. Of course she was none the wiser… after all, at the exact same time, she was dealing with the death of someone she loved rather dearly. Her mother… your wife, Eri."

Kogoro stiffened. "What are you saying? That this is all connected to my wife? To her murder?"

Kaito raised an eyebrow. "You think she was murdered?"

Kogoro's expression was grim. "I _know_ it." He sighed. "But that doesn't matter right now. The sons of bitches were never caught. Stop jerking me around, Kaito. What are you getting at?"

"I think you need to reconsider your dismissal of Eri's murder," Kaito said softly. "Because… I know who killed her."

"_WHAT?!"_

Aoko bit her lip. "So do I."

Ran's lips trembled. "Me too."

"What the hell are you three talking about?!"

"The men who killed the original Psiren… and the men who killed Eri… they're the same, Kogoro. They're called the Black Organization – an elite group of assassins and scientists that span the entire globe. Eight years ago, they killed one woman because she knew too much. Last summer, Ran discovered this, and dedicated to avenging this woman, she decided to take up the role of Phantom Thief Psiren. She's not doing this for the thrills, Kogoro. She's doing it to stop an international crime syndicate from harming any more people."

It was obvious by the look in his eyes that the wheels in Kogoro's head were turning. "So wait a minute… you said both Eri and Psiren were murdered by this organization, but you also said that the Black Organization only killed one woman eight years ago, not two. If Ran's trying to avenge Eri, why would she decide to do it by becoming the Psiren? It doesn't make any sense." Kogoro rubbed his chin as he directed narrowed eyes at the ceiling. "Unless…" Kaito waited patiently, and Kogoro reacted right on time. The detective's eyes widened to the size of small saucers. "So, Eri was…?"

"Was the first," Kaito murmured, straightening the shirt that had bunched up during his and Kogoro's scuffle. His expression was actually sympathetic. "I'm sorry."

"You sonuvabitch!" Kogoro roared, lunging for Kaito again. With a surprising show of strength, Aoko grabbed the enraged man by the wrists and just barely kept him from his target. Kaito stood motionless, his expression carefully blank. "I always knew there was something screwy about you, you home wrecker! What, so taking my wife from me wasn't enough… you have to go after my daughter too?!?"

"Enough, Kogoro," Kaito said calmly. "You know Eri almost as well as I do. You know that I couldn't have forced her to do anything she didn't want to do. She made the decision to become Psiren herself. I only helped her; same as I'm doing for Ran now."

"That's no excuse! You knew the risks, and you helped her anyway, for what I don't know. The way I see it, you could've just as easily murdered her yourself! You murdered her by letting her go! And you almost did the same thing to my daughter! You nearly did the same thing to Ran!" Kogoro lunged for him again, and this time Aoko couldn't hold him back. The woman fell backwards onto the bed as Kogoro charged at Kaito like a bat out of hell, his fists raised.

Kaito barely moved, but soon Kogoro was on his back on the carpet, staring up at awe at the slight man who had defeated him so easily. His sole pressed lightly into Kogoro's chest, Kaito gazed down at the man impassively with his arms folded. "Your daughter Ran, who loves you very much, has just admitted one of her deepest darkest secrets to you. She's seriously injured and vulnerable, and the only thing you can think of to do is shout at her and come running at me? I think you owe me one hell of an apology, but I'll be charitable and forgive you quickly as long as you go over and make it up to Ran." Kogoro lurched forward with murder in his eyes, but was stopped by the hard heel of Kaito's shoe. "I mean it." After a moment of uncertainty, Mouri nodded once, and Kaito removed his foot from the man's chest slowly. Kogoro sat up and gazed down at his shoes, his posture stiff and his fists tightly clenched. Ran's heart broke as she watched her father surreptitiously wipe the moisture from his eyes with his shirt sleeve.

Kogoro stood and made his way over to the bed, which he sat on the edge of. "Ran," he said, his voice hoarse and his arm reaching out to her. "Come here." Despite the pain she felt and without hesitation, Ran crossed the small distance between them and slid into her father's arms. Kogoro buried his face in her hair, and gradually Ran felt it get wet.

"Daddy…?"

"There are a lot of things… I probably should say to you right now," He mumbled, squeezing her as tight as her injuries would allow. "But I think this is what we both need the most."

Ran closed her eyes as tears slipped down her cheeks as well. "Okay…"

"All right…" Kogoro said to Kaito, though he was looking at his daughter. "Tell me everything. And no more secrets."

Kaito nodded, eager to banish the skeletons in his closet once and for all. He'd been handling a lot or regret over the years because of his part in Eri's death; letting Kogoro in on the secret didn't give him the penance he needed, but it did make his burden just the slightest bit lighter. "It all began eighteen years ago, with the Black Organization…"

-------------------------------------------

After Kaito's long speech drew to a close, Kogoro surprised everyone by laughing loud and harsh. "So basically, you're telling me my whole marriage was a lie." He narrowed his eyes at Kaito. "Right?"

"Not your whole marriage, Kogoro," Aoko interjected softly. "Whether you want to believe me or not, Eri-san really did love you and Ran-chan. That part was completely true. She didn't have you to turn to when she first joined the Black Organization; if she had, I'm sure that her life would've taken a completely different route."

Kogoro looked doubtful. "All this time…" He shook his head. "I knew something was wrong. I knew something about her was… different… right before she died. But… being involved with an international crime syndicate? Being a member? Going rogue and getting killed for it? For eighteen years, I didn't know a damn thing… no wonder I got kicked out of the police force. I'm dumb as shit."

"Don't say that, Daddy," Ran whispered, leaning into his shoulder. "Mom was an expert at what she did. She spent nearly her whole life keeping her true identity from people. You couldn't have known. I wouldn't have known, either, if she hadn't left that tape for me-"

Kogoro looked up at her. "Tape? What tape?"

"She'll show it to you later," Kaito promised. "But right now, we can't afford for you to be reminiscent or remorseful, Kogoro. You know the score, so you're a part of this now. We need you to be at your absolute best. We need you to help us find the Pandora, and stop the Black Organization. Shinichi and Heiji and their families should be on their way shortly. Despite what you may feel about all of us right now, we have to work together. Otherwise, we're all as good as dead by morning."

Kogoro frowned, turning to his daughter. "So Kudo… does he…?"

Ran shook her head. "He doesn't know, and I don't want him to. Please, don't say anything to him or Heiji. Okay?"

"Fine. I'll help you find this damn jewel if it means I can put my wife's regrets to bed. But I'll do it on only one condition – Ran doesn't parade around as Psiren anymore."

Kaito folded his arms and smirked. "Actually, Kogoro, for this one time I agree with you. Ran stays out of it."

Ran gaped. "What? B-but, Kaito-!!"

"Ran, you can hardly move. You almost got killed back there. You did your best, but now I think it's time for the adults to handle this from now on."

Ran attempted to sit up, but her pain was too great and she was forced back down. As much as she hated to admit it, Kaito was right. But that didn't mean she wouldn't continue to argue her point. This was too important for her not to. She couldn't let Shinichi or Heiji or even Kaito and Kogoro go through this alone. "B-but Kaito, you're being unreasonable-!"

"We're doing this because we love you," Kogoro grunted, standing, and Ran had very little she could say in retort. "Ran, I've already lost one person I love to these bastards... I'm not going to lose my only daughter too. I'm not going to let you hurt yourself the way Eri did. No more. All right?"

Ran closed her eyes. "…All right." The sudden ringing of a cell phone caused her to look up.

"Oh, that's me," Aoko murmured, glancing down at her cell phone's caller ID. "Sorry, I have to get this…" She flipped the small phone open. "Moshi moshi… Nakamori speaking." She waited for the person on the line to finish speaking. "Ah, yes, sir. Right away. No, I'm not in the middle of something. I'll be down there shortly." She closed the phone and turned to smile apologetically at her husband. "They need me down at the precinct. There's been another suspicious murder of one of our guys, so we need to investigate and reorganize our roster. Can you handle things here by yourself?"

Kaito nodded. "Yeah, we'll be fine. Just take care of yourself, all right? You sense anything weird going on, and you call me."

Aoko smiled and walked over to kiss him. "Of course." She waved to Ran and Kogoro. "Bye for now, you two. Play nice." Stopping only to grab her weapon and purse off the nightstand, Aoko left with a resounding slam of the front door. Kaito gazed after her for a long time, frowning.

"Shinichi and Heiji should be here soon," He continued, rubbing self-consciously at the scars on his hand. "Kogoro, come with me so we can clue them in to the latest events once they get here. Ran, you just need to sit tight and rest. Kudo-san and Hattori-san will probably want to speak to you later, but for now you need to try and recuperate. Oh, and make sure you wrap your face back up. You don't want to give anyone _else_ a heart attack today."

Ran nodded reluctantly. "Okay." The door clicked closed behind Kaito and Kogoro, leaving Ran alone in semi-darkness. Though she knew she should follow her godfather's orders and try to get some sleep, there was still way too much adrenaline coursing through her veins from the recent tense conversation. She sighed and replaced her facial bandages and laid on her back to stare up at the ceiling. So much was changing, and so fast. Ran never would've imagined a year ago that she'd be here now, debilitated and broken while her father and her godfather discussed battle strategies in the next room for taking down the Black Organization. And Shinichi _still_ didn't know her true identity. For that alone she could be grateful, but considering his impressive record and her declining luck, Ran didn't believe she'd be in the free and clear for much longer. She sighed again. Life was getting way too complicated. Ran's gaze traveled to the closet, where she knew Kaito stored one of his many vaults for his more private belongings. Kaito kept some very dangerous weapons and secret documents in this house…

The teenager forced herself to her feet, moaning as she did so. She had an idea. It was stupid and reckless and would probably get her grounded for all eternity (if her current predicament hadn't already done so), but at this point she didn't feel she really had a choice. She most certainly could not allow herself to sleep through what would be one of the most important events of all of their lives. Ran limped over to the closet, yanked it open, and pushed her way to the back wall where the safe was held. She knew Kaito well, and knew instantly what his combination would be. After inputting the correct codes, the door clicked open. She only had a small amount of time before Kaito came back, and she had to make sure everything was picture perfect when he appeared. Her eyes narrowed.

Ran slammed a magazine into the pistol she'd retrieved from the stash in the back of the safe. She didn't have much experience with a weapon past the few lessons she forced out of Kaito, but she figured today was a good enough day to learn.

Nobody was going to be useless. Nobody was getting left behind.

Ran made sure the safety was on and aimed at the opposite wall. And nobody was going to die.

Not tonight. Not ever.

-------------------------------------------

Aoko arrived at police headquarters thirty minutes later. It was late in the afternoon and muggy, with the sun already beginning its slow descent towards the horizon. She smiled at the sight as she opened the front glass door and retreated into the air conditioning. She always did enjoy a good sunset. Kaito and Aoko had made it a tradition to watch one together every weekend evening, since they were usually both too busy with their individual pursuits to do so during the week. The first time they had done it, Aoko had commented that the sun setting reminded her of autumn. In response, Kaito remarked that it reminded him of the panties she had worn the previous day. He received quite the slap and lecture for _that_ little faux pas.

The woman giggled. Kaito was often insufferable, but he was a sweet man, too. Even though he had been through so much, he still had the capacity and desire to love. That was the reason why she admired him as much as she did, and why she sometimes came to envy his strength. If she had been through only _half_ of what her husband had, Aoko suspected she'd break into a million pieces. But Kaito was still going strong, if not for the occasional bump in the road. She loved him dearly, and she would continue to love him for as long as she was able. Aoko could only hope and pray that the next coming days or weeks or months didn't take away one of the only things she really had going for her life. She shivered at the mere thought of losing Kaito. She couldn't go through that again…

"Nakamori-tantei." Aoko looked up as her direct superior, Koyo Torisei, approached her with his hands shoved in his khaki pockets. He was unsmiling, and Aoko couldn't blame him. Some of their best friends and closest allies were dropping like flies, and the reigning thought in everyone's mind was whether or not they'd be next. "Come with me; we have a lot to discuss." Koyo turned and walked down the hall toward the meeting room and Aoko followed, holding her hands over her rapidly beating heart. Her breaths were steady, but her mind was a jumbled mess and so were her emotions. As if she didn't have enough to worry about with Kaito and Ran, now she had to worry whether or not she would lose any more friends to this conspiracy. The latest victim was someone she had been especially close to – the woman had taught her everything she knew. Yumi Miyamoto. That brought the Tokyo police death toll up to over fifty now. Fifty lives lost to senseless gang violence. It was horrid. From what she knew from Kaito, Aoko was certain that many of them were Black Organization infiltrates that just did poorly at their jobs, but many of the dead could've also simply knew too much. Innocent people were being killed. Aoko rubbed her arms in an attempt to keep out the cold, which wasn't from the room temperature. She entered through the door that Koyo held open for her and took stock of the conference table where several of her coworkers were already seated.

Wataru Takagi and Miwako Sato, married eight years and also good friends with the now deceased Yumi. Jyuuzou Megure, well respected inspector. Isshin Chiba. Ninzaburo Shiratori. Kiyonaga Matsumoto. The gang was all here, including her father, Ginzo. Aoko took the one open seat next to Miwako, giving the woman a sad smile as she did so.

Kiyonaga splayed his fingers over the table. "We have an escalating situation here," He began. "The death toll has officially reached fifty six. There seems to be no pattern to this massacre, as the officers gunned down share nothing other than the fact that they're cops. You all are here not only because you are hard workers and reliable, but because you're basically the only ones left. Nearly our entire department is either MIA or dead. I've charged each and every one of you to figure this madness out. Now, I ask you… _what the fuck is going on?!_"

"I don't know," Miwako said, looking through eyes filled with tears. She sniffled. Wataru gave her hand a squeeze. "Wataru and I have been investigating the victims' families as you requested, but there's nothing out of the ordinary or suspicious. Sure, some of the deceased were drinkers or gamblers, but that's not so odd when you think about it. Everyone has their vices. And that doesn't even begin to address the dozens of people who _weren't_ involved in some kind of high risk or dangerous activity."

"I'll tell you what I've found – absolutely nothin'," Megure grunted. He was not forthcoming with any other details. Isshin and Ninzaburo provided similar reports.

Aoko's heart hammered. She knew what was happening – more than she wanted to know, actually. But right now she was sworn to secrecy. There was no guarantee that a rat wasn't in the room with her, and then she'd find herself in the morgue with Yumi. Still, the desire to confess everything to the people she considered family was strong. But the need to keep them safe overrode any reckless ideas she might've wanted to act on.

"I've found something, but you won't like it," Ginzo murmured, interlacing his fingers on the tabletop. He had everyone's full attention. "There is a pattern to this massacre, Matsumoto-san. Everyone who has died has been directly or indirectly connected to one person – Psiren the Phantom Thief." Aoko barely was able to keep her eyes from widening in response to her father's astute reasoning.

Megure slammed his fist into the table. "_Psiren?! _You mean _she's _responsible for even _more _people being dead!?"

Ginzo narrowed his eyes. "I'm afraid so. Yumi Miyamoto had been assigned to crowd control during the last heist."

"What about Heiji Hattori and Shinichi Kudo?" Miwako asked. "They've recently been charged with aiding Psiren's escape, and they _were_ present during the explosion in Nagoya..."

"Bull," Megure scoffed. "I know Shinichi, and I've heard of Heiji's reputation. This is just one example of the stupid cops putting their noses where they don't belong."

Isshin nodded. "Plus, Psiren's responsible for killing Kudo's brother. No one in their right mind would help her after that."

Wataru furrowed his eyebrows. "I don't understand. So, if Shinichi and Heiji aren't really involved, then… is Psiren the one killing these officers? Or… is… is someone simply taking advantage of her declining popularity?"

"It's the second one," Aoko blurted. All eyes turned to her. "Think about it. Murderer or not, Psiren is only one person. She couldn't have _possibly _killed fifty officers right under our noses without leaving a single trace. Besides, it's not her style. She's flashy and arrogant. If she was guilty, she would be all over the airwaves taunting us with it."

Ginzo shook his head at his daughter. "But if she was innocent, you would think she would at least try to clear her name. She'd try to prove she didn't do it. But she's been completely silent ever since Conan Kudo was killed in March. Don't you find that suspicious?" He leaned forward. "Why would she allow the rumors to brew if she's supposedly a thief of honor? One who has never hurt or killed anyone during her heists up until now?"

"She's busy," Megure snorted. "Too busy killing our guys to concern herself with damage control."

Aoko frowned. "That's not true, either. You said it yourself, Nakamori-keibu – Psiren hasn't killed anyone in the eighteen years she's been active. Why start now?"

Ginzo assessed his daughter quietly. "It sounds like you're defending her."

"No, I'm not. I don't support her antics anymore than anyone else her. But… I believe that she is innocent. I believe that everyone is innocent until proven guilty, and the media has done a fine job so far of skewing things until no one knows which way is up anymore. We're professionals. I think we need to look at all sides of this thing before we jump to conclusions. If we condemn Psiren now, without any real proof…" She gazed at each of her coworkers in turn. "We'll be no different than the murderer."

Kiyonaga cocked his head. "So what do you propose we do, Nakamori-tantei? Continue to investigate ass-backwards until someone _else_ gets killed?"

"No. I propose a different approach. I say we consider the possibility…" Aoko took a deep breath. Was she really going to do this? "…of an inside job."

"_What?_" The room exploded with protests and questions.

Aoko held up a hand, and the room quieted once more. "Wait. Please, let me explain. First of all, you all know that I think Psiren is innocent. The murders just don't match her M.O. So who does that leave? Who knows enough about our roster to know where fifty different people were on the night of the heists? Who knows enough about our inner-workings to know who's involved in the Psiren case that _wasn't _there? Only someone who works for us would know so much about us. That's the only thing that makes sense."

Isshin whistled. "That would have to be a pretty high up official. Not even Matsumoto-san knows where everyone is at any given time."

Aoko nodded. "Exactly. Which is why I feel comfortable sharing this information with you all. None of you could be the mole." Or so she thought, which is why she was being extremely careful about what she did and didn't say. She felt she could warn her coworkers about the chance of an infiltrator, but any information regarding the Black Organization… that she would keep to herself.

Kiyonaga pondered on this new information. "So what about motive, detective?"

"That, I don't know. But it's a step in the right direction, don't you agree? If we can target which department is the one leaking and exploiting information, we can take it down and stop any more murders from taking place."

Ninzaburo rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "…Sort of like cutting off a limb to keep the poison from spreading."

Aoko smiled. "That's… more graphic an example than I would've chosen, but yes."

Kiyonaga laughed with gusto. "Damn, that's the best news I've heard in a month! Great job, Nakamori. You're a helluva a service to your department and your country." Aoko blushed. _'If only you knew everything I'm not telling you'_, she thought. "Considering Nakamori-tantei's analysis, I'm ordering that all information obtained during this meeting stays amongst the eight of us. Do I make myself perfectly clear? If anything gets out, I'll find my rat. _And I'll rip it's friggin' liver out_." He stood. "You all know what to do. Takagi… you two continue your investigations. There's still a chance we've missed something or Nakamori may be wrong. The rest of you… I want lists compiled of everyone involved in the Psiren case, and I mean _everyone. _Leave no rock unturned. You are dismissed." One by one, the officers rose from their seats and slowly filed out of the room until only Ginzo, Aoko and Koyo were left. Ginzo smiled to himself as he slipped on his jacket and turned to the door.

"Aoko." The woman looked up. Her father was grinning at her, the wrinkles under his eyes worn deep from his smile. "Nice work." Aoko beamed back at him, and then he was gone. If there was anything she valued more than doing her job and doing it right, it was praise from her dad. God knows she'd worked hard for it. She gathered her things and prepared to leave. Koyo blocked her way.

"Nakamori-tantei. Can I see you for a moment in my office? It won't take too long." Aoko nodded, and Koyo once again led her to a room, this time on the other side of the building. Most of the fluorescent lights in this part of the building had been turned out to conserve energy, casting both Aoko and Koyo in menacing shadow. She knew it was unreasonable, but Aoko was suddenly very uncomfortable. Koyo pulled his office door open, throwing the woman a charming smile. "After you." Aoko entered the darkened room and flinched imperceptibly when Koyo shut the door behind them. The lock clicked into place.

"Torisei-san? What are you-" She stopped. There was someone else in the room. Someone big. The person was thrown entirely in shadow, but for some reason Aoko still thought he or she looked familiar. She was on the defensive in an instant, her hands clutched around the gun at her waist. "What in the hell is going on here?"

Koyo chuckled. "Re-_lax_, Nakamori-tantei. You're amongst friends. We only want to… talk." Aoko didn't like the tone he used. She whipped out her gun and pointed it in his direction.

"Turn the damn lights on," she hissed, clicking the safety off. "_Now_." Surprisingly, Koyo obeyed, reaching his hand up to flick the switch just behind and to the side of him. Aoko blinked rapidly as the room was basked in bright fluorescent white light. She turned to the glance at the figure across the room. Her eyes widened.

"Jin!" Aoko gasped. "Jin Fujiwara! You're… you're alive?!"

Jin smiled at her, unfolding himself from the chair he'd been sitting in. He was a big man. Huge. Standing at six foot five, Jin Fujiwara was intimidating in nearly every way. But Aoko wasn't afraid. As long as she had her common sense and her SIG P230 by her side, she had all the confidence in the world. She didn't need anyone to come and save her. No, those days were dead and gone. Aoko Nakamori/Kuroba was nothing if not independent. She would get through this, and all by herself.

At this point, she had no choice.

"Nakamori-san," Jin said in his rich velvet tone. "I've heard a great deal about your top performance as a detective, but I have never had the pleasure of meeting you before today. It is an honor." Keeping a careful eye on Koyo, Aoko leveled her weapon at the police commissioner. Jin raised his eyebrows at her action. "Why the hostility? Am I wrong for wanting to make your acquaintance?"

"Cut the bull," Aoko snapped. "You've been missing for almost two months, and now you want to show up again _just_ so you can meet me? Don't make me laugh. I may be a little naive, but I'm far from being stupid." Jin and Koyo laughed at her bravado. "You two owe me an explanation, and fast. Why did you bring me here? What are you up to?"

Jin flashed his perfect white teeth. "Many, many things." He cocked his head. "But then again, you know all about that, don't you, Nakamori-san? After all, you've been a step ahead of your peers for months now. You've had the perfect little angel there to guide you."

Aoko narrowed her eyes and prepared for the worst. She kept her finger firmly on the trigger. "What are you talking about?" Koyo advanced on her back, so Aoko hauled back and cracked the man in the face with the butt of her gun. Koyo screamed and slammed into the linoleum floor. Blood splattered the ground. Aoko returned her attention to Fujiwara.

"Bourbon," Koyo gurgled from his spot on the floor, nursing a bloodied nose. "Does that… mean anything to you?"

Jin chuckled again. "Better known as Kaito Kuroba." Aoko gasped. How did they figure it out?! They'd always been so careful- While she was distracted, Jin rushed her and slapped her across the face. _Hard. _Aoko shrieked in pain and dropped her weapon on the way down, which Jin was quick to grab. The detective tripped over Koyo's body and fell flat on her back. When she looked up, she was staring down the barrel of her own gun. It was then that she noticed something new and quite interesting about Mr. Jin Fujiwara.

He was dressed entirely in black.

Jin grinned. "You know, you're a lot smarter than you look. I heard about your little candid speech to the rest of the department… very nice. Too bad I'm going to have to kill them all. I was willing to let the rest of those useless pricks live and suffer, but now you've gone and told them too much. I'm sure I can figure out some way to kill them off without any more suspicion; I seem to be quite good at that."

Aoko thought of Wataru and Miwako and Megure and her father, all who have already lost too much. _"No!" _She jumped to her feet before Koyo had a chance to grab her and lunged at her boss. The gun was still aimed between her eyes, but she was determined. If she died, she was taking him with her. There were no other options. _Losing_ was not an option. Aoko gave a battle cry as she lifted her leg and prepared for the fatal strike…

She was out before she even hit the ground.

-------------------------------------------

Kaito couldn't help but chuckle. Here he was, an ex-assassin/magician, posing as an FBI agent with a house full of detectives, mystery writers, and cops. Here he was, an ex-Organization member, working with the same people he used to loathe to take said Organization down. If this wasn't the universe's biggest joke, he thought, he didn't know what was.

"All right…" Yusaku rolled up his shirt sleeves and folded his arms. "Tell us the situation, Kaito-san." He glanced over his shoulder at his son and wife, who were sinking into Kaito's deceptively soft leather sofa. Over half a dozen people were gathered in the small but comfortable living room - the Kudo family took possession of the couch area, while Heiji and his father sat in the chairs directly across from them. Although Shizuka had been made aware of the current events, she had decided that she would only get in the way if she came and had taken up residence with a friend until the matter could be resolved. She sent her regards to all involved, however. Kogoro stood slouched against the wall with a smoldering cigarette dangling from his mouth. And Kazuha, completely bewildered by the whole situation, sat in the windowsill near the front door, her eyes darting back and forth between all occupants of the room. Her father hadn't been thrilled when he learned his daughter's life was potentially in danger, but he trusted Heiji. Besides, going home now would put her parents at risk if any Black Organization connected the dots, and no matter how confused or terrified she was, Kazuha would never be willing to take that chance. She caught eyes with Heiji as Kaito began to speak.

"Since Shinichi and Heiji have already told you most of it, I'll be frank. Everyone who is in this room is at risk. You all are officially in the category of people who know too much. Congratulations," Kaito said dryly, "And welcome to my world. Now, I don't tell you this so we can all start worrying about when the door is going to break down, but rather I say this so you know what to expect. In the next few hours or days or maybe even months, we will be attempting to bring down a massive crime syndicate virtually by ourselves. We will need to be alert and cautious; cunning and efficient." He began pacing. "Since the Black Organization already has the Mermaid's Retribution painting, we need to direct our focus on finding the Eagle's Eye emerald. It would be pointless to confront the Black Organization unless we have it first. If they get a hold of it before we do… well, let's not even consider the possibility. Once we find the Eagle, then we can worry about how we get to the painting and find Pandora. But simple logic tells us is that as long as we have one piece, the Black Organization can't win. That has to be good enough for us right now-"

Static interrupted Kaito's next words. He turned to the portable radio transceiver across the room. "Ah, excuse me, folks. I have to get this." The magician strode over to his desk and picked up the device. "Yeah, I'm here. Talk to me, Aoko." The volume was too low to be heard across the room, but it was obvious by Kaito's stiff posture that he didn't like what he heard. "Who is this?" He said casually, though his clenched jaw betrayed his anger. "And what do you want? I think you're mistaking me for someone else." Kaito was silent as he listened to the static filled reply. "I don't know who you are, but I guarantee that I will find you. _And I will kill you_." Eight faces whipped towards his direction. "Goodbye." Kaito slammed the receiver down, causing several people to jump. And then he cursed. Loudly.

"What?" Shinichi asked. "Kaito, what's wrong? Where's Aoko-san? What happened?" Kaito clenched his fist and slammed it hard into the wall, punching a hole straight through it. Shinichi's heart sped up. Kaito was _not_ a man to lose his cool. "Kuroba-san...?!?"

"That was Jin Fujiwara – the same guy who _supposedly_ disappeared a month or so ago," Kaito snarled. "He must've tuned into my frequency by using Aoko's radio – she's the only one who has outside access to it."

Kogoro's eyebrows climbed. "So what? Isn't he the Tokyo police commissioner? Maybe he just borrowed the radio from Aoko-san and found your frequency by accident."

Kaito jerked his head once. "No… his message was just for me. And it was loud and clear."

"What?"

"He said he doesn't know where I am, or what I'm planning, but if I want to make sure a certain female detective isn't next on the rising homicide list, I'll reveal myself. And I'll have the Eagle's Eye with me."

Silence reigned. Suddenly the urgency of their operation had just increased.

Aoko had been kidnapped.

XXXXXX

**A/N: **Hey, hey, hey! Long time no see! Sorry about the long wait guys, but as I said last chapter, from now on I'm just making it up as I go. If you have any suggestions, I'd be happy to hear them!

Next time, on **'Don't Play by the Rules'**: Kaito vows to get Aoko back at any cost, even willing to storm the Black Organization's headquarters with only his half a dozen new allies behind him; Aoko struggles to buy herself time with her captors; Wataru, Miwako, and Megure start their investigations, and Ran and Kazuha team up and a budding friendship forms. The clock is ticking...

OMAKE  
Nightmares and Daydreams

The loud thunderclap shook the windowpanes and the floorboards as a bright flash of lightning lit the interior of the whole mansion. Conan squeaked in terror and practically flew underneath his bed, careful to grab his most beloved Masked Yaiba plushie before doing so. The wooden floor was dusty and aggravated his allergies something fierce, but he wasn't about to risk going out again and getting hit by lightning or captured by monsters.

Several feet away, Conan heard the creak of footsteps. Soon the bottoms of his father's toes could be seen. "Conan? What are you doing? Is everything all right?"

"Back away, demon!" Conan squawked, whacking Yusaku's foot with Masked Yaiba's head. "I send you back to oblivion! Back to hell!"

Yusaku groaned out loud as two more pairs of feet appeared beside Conan's bed. "What's going on?" Yukiko murmured.

"I told you we shouldn't have let Conan watch that movie on a night like this," Yusaku accused. Shinichi and Yukiko breathed out a sigh of realization. "_Ah_."

"I know you're really _oni_ that only _look_ like my parents!" Conan raged on. "So get out, before I sic Masked Yaiba on you!"

"Maybe we should just leave him be," Yukiko suggested. "He'll be better when it stops raining."

Shinichi rolled his eyes and kneeled by the bed. "He needs to stop being such a baby. Everyone knows demons don't exist." Reaching under the edge of the comforter, Shinichi groped around blindly for his younger brother. His parents waited in a tense silence, fearing the worst. And the worst finally happened when Shinichi shrieked like a girl and yanked his hand back from underneath the bed. "That little twerp bit me!" He shouted in anger, nursing his injured hand and looking back and forth between his parents with the hope that either one would do something. Yukiko and Yusaku, however, were at a loss.

"Back to hell!"

Shinichi frowned. "Well we can't just _leave_ him under there. What if his asthma starts acting up? Or if he gets so scared that he gets as bad as last time?"

"Begone, demon!" Yusaku jumped out of the way just before Conan whacked him again with his toy.

"I don't think there's anything we _can_ do," Yukiko murmured, wringing her hands. "The only thing that can coax Conan out of these hallucinations is when I sing to him, and that obviously isn't going to work this time." She bit her lip at the sound of Conan's soft sniffles. "He thinks everyone in this room is out to get him."

Suddenly, Shinichi had an idea. Though he was seriously endangering his life by doing so, he knelt by the bed once more. "Hey, squirt. If I get Ran-neechan to come over and talk to you, will you come out of there and go back to sleep?"

Conan turned quiet. "Ran-neechan? How do you know Ran-neechan, you evil demon?"

"I'm not a demon, Conan – I'm Shinichi-niichan. And I can prove it. Ran can show you that I'm telling the truth, and Ran couldn't _possibly_ be a demon, could she?"

Conan considered this. "Okay, fine. But if you don't have her here in two minutes, I'm going to bite you again!" Not doubting this in the slightest, Shinichi pulled his appendages from out of the young boy's reach.

"I'll have her here in less than that!" Hey, it wasn't like Conan knew how to tell time, anyway. He took the phone that his mother offered him and dialed the number he knew by heart. "Hey, Ran? Yeah, I know it's late, but I have a little favor to ask…"

/---/

Ran was tired. It was, after all, almost midnight. But when she heard that Conan was hysterical and refusing to come out from under his bed, she knew she had to rush over. She was happy to do it, but Kogoro was not so enthused to be the one to drive her over.

"Conan?" She called, climbing the stairs after Shinichi had let her in and veering towards the boy's room. "Conan?!" No answer. She walked past Yukiko and Yusaku and sat on the floor by the side of the bed. "Conan-kun, it's me. Ran-neechan. Can you come out so we can talk?"

She heard the boy sniffle. "Not until those _oni_ leave. I don't trust them, Ran-neechan."

"I'm not a demon," Shinichi scoffed. "And careful, Ran – that little thing has teeth and he's not afraid to use them."

Ran gave a reassuring smile. "He won't bite me. And you _can_ be a bit of a nuisance." Shinichi stuck his tongue out at her. "All right, Conan-kun… the Kudo-_oni_ will leave now, and then you can come out and tell me what's bothering you, all right?"

Conan nodded, though his face was hidden by the darkness. "Okay."

Yusaku ushered his family minus one into the hallway and shut the door behind them. "Okay, Conan," Ran said. "It's safe now." Conan sprung out from under the bed and latched onto Ran like a small monkey.

"Ran-neechan! I had a bad dream!" He dissolved into sobs. "There were youkai everywhere and they were chasing me and trying to eat me. They ate Agasa-hakase… and then when I woke up, there were demons everywhere and I couldn't find my mommy and there was this way demon who even said he was Shinichi-niichan and I-" He sobbed. "I thought mommy and daddy had left me. I thought they were mad at me for something and wanted me to get eaten so they wouldn't have to deal with me anymore…" Conan pulled away from Ran's warmth to look up into her eyes. "I'm a… bur-dem, aren't I? Shinichi-niichan said mommy didn't plan to have me. He told me once I was an accident. And I know I can't sit still a lot of the times, and I have to take expensive medicines and see a the-ra-pisht…"

Ran pressed a gentle finger to the child's lips. "Ssh, it's okay now, Conan. No one's going to hurt you. And no one thinks you're a burden." She would have to give Shinichi a swift kick in the rear later for making his brother think he was insignificant. She rubbed the boy's back in circular motions. Conan buried his face in the crook of her neck. "Why don't I sing you a song? Will that make you feel better?" Conan gave a slight nod. Ran looked out the window to the dark night outside, where the rain was slowing to a drizzle. She closed her eyes, smiled, and began to sing.

"_Ame ame fure fure kaasan ga  
Janome de o-mukai ureshii na  
Pitchi pitchi chappu chappu ran ran ran_

_Kakemasho kaban wo kaasan no  
Ato kara iko iko kane ga naru  
Pitchi pitchi chappu chappu ran ran ran_

_Ara ara ano ko wa zubunure da  
Yanagi no nekata de naiteiru  
Pitchi pitchi chappu chappu ran ran ran_

_kaasan boku no wo kashimasho ka  
kimi kimi kono kasa sashitamae  
Pitchi pitchi chappu chappu ran ran ran_

_boku nara ii n da kaasan no  
ookina janome ni haitteku  
Pitchi pitchi chappu chappu ran ran ran…"_

/---/

Yukiko, Yusaku, and Shinichi still stood just outside Conan's bedroom ten minutes later, listening to the soft sounds of Conan and Ran singing 'Rainy Day' together. A small smile worked its way onto Shinichi's face as he said, "Pretty interesting that while Conan can demonize the lot of us without a second thought, Ran passes the test with no problem."

Grinning, Yusaku chuckled. "Now, see, I was trying not to think about that. Gives a man a complex."

Ran emerged then from the bedroom with a tired smile, giving the thumbs up as she closed the door behind her quietly. "He's asleep now – finally. I was able to help him with the hallucinating, but he wanted me to stay with him until he went to sleep in case they came back."

"Thank you so much, Ran-chan," Yukiko said with a gentle smile. "We're eternally grateful."

"No problem."

Shinichi raised an eyebrow, smirking. "So Ran… I heard you singing. You never told me you could sing."

Ran blushed. "That's… that's because I can't! I was just fooling around… doing it so Conan would feel better…"

Shinichi grinned. "Well, whatever you did, it worked. Thanks Ran. You're going to make a great mother." Ran's face flushed harder. Realizing what he'd just said, Shinichi blushed as well. "I-I mean… if you don't scare off any guy who would marry you with your anger management problems."

"Shinichi! I do _not_ have an anger management problem! I should kick you right in the-"

"Ano… Ran-chan, you're not really proving your point." Yukiko's words fell on deaf ears, however, because Ran had already began chasing a fleeing Shinichi down the stairs, though she was careful to do so quietly. The last thing any one of them wanted to do was wake Conan up. The weary mother sighed. "At this rate, I wouldn't be surprised if they're married ten years from now…"

Yusaku chuckled. "No, I wouldn't even give them that long. I give them three."

Yukiko smiled at her husband as a loud crashing noise could be heard from the vicinity of the kitchen, along with the sound of laughing teenagers. "You think so?" She wrapped an arm around her husband's waist. "Well, if your son is anything like you, Shinichi will have proposed after the first few weeks."

Yusaku winked. "I refuse to apologize for that."

"Good. Because I don't want you to." Another crash from the kitchen. "Shall we go separate the children, dear?"

"We shall." The proud parents glanced momentarily at Conan's door before proceeding down the stairs and to the kitchen, which for some reason, was covered with flour.

"Ran started it!" Shinichi accused.

"Did not!"

And Conan slept on, his mind filled with pleasant dreams.


	17. Tempting Fate

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Detective Conan.

-------------------------------------------

**Don't Play by the Rules**

Chapter Fifteen: Tempting Fate 

Kaito blew out a deep breath and faced his captive audience. "For those of you who don't know, Aoko is my wife, who is also a detective with the Tokyo police department. She's been helping me with my investigation with the Black Organization in the past few years, which is why I speculate she's been kidnapped. They somehow found out about her connection to me, and are now exploiting it. And apparently, Jin Fujiwara, the Tokyo police commissioner, has been working undercover for the Black Organization. Who knows how many other officers he has working secretly for him." Kaito waited while this information sunk in. "I won't try to hide the fact that I care deeply about Aoko. Her life is in immediate jeopardy, and we can't have that. She's in this mess because she was helping me." The man began to pace. "Now, we have two options – we ignore Aoko's situation in favor of looking for the Eagle's Eye, hoping that we will somehow find it before they kill her, or two – we forget about the emerald and gun right for the Black Organization. Although it's the more dangerous of the two options, I vote for number two. We have no idea where the Eagle's Eye is. It could be anywhere in the world. Our best bet is to somehow recapture the Mermaid's Retribution and use it to find a clue for the emerald's location. Unless any of you are familiar with the legend and know where we should start looking." Kaito waited. No one spoke up. "Didn't think so. So it's option number two then, ladies and gentlemen. Remember, this is highly suicidal territory we're about to waltz into. I advise all of you to say your farewells and put your affairs in order… just in case."

Heiji snorted. "Now you're just being melodramatic."

Kaito shrugged. "Maybe so." The man gave no indication that he had earlier been angry enough to punch a hole in the wall. The mask was now firmly in place. "So we have a change of plans." Without skipping a beat, Kaito yanked on a nylon cord hanging around his neck, revealing the single key that had been stuffed inside his shirt. Grabbing it between his index finger and thumb, he strode over to a large impressionist painting hanging on the wall and removed it. "Instead of using our brains, we'll be using _these_ babies." Underneath was the door to a safe. Kaito pulled the nylon cord off, inserted the key, and with a jerk of the handle, opened the door, revealing guns and weapons of various sizes and makes – including katanas and what looked suspiciously like hand grenades. The room's occupants inhaled a collective breath.

"Most of those weapons are illegal in Japan," Yusaku noted with disapproval. Kaito paid him no mind.

"They'll get the job done, too," the magician murmured, taking a clip from a pile in the corner of the safe and inserting it into his SIG Sauer. "You can't waste time concerning yourself with the law when there are at least a thousand people out there who want your head on a platter."

"This is insane!" Heizo roared. "You expect the help of a police commissioner when you're breaking the law yourself? FBI or not, I refuse to have my family involved in a scandal big enough to swallow the lot of us whole!"

Heiji winced. "Dad-"

Kaito regarded the man with uncaring eyes. "I don't expect nor need your help, Hattori-san. If you want to leave, then leave. This operation will continue whether you're here or not." Heizo was speechless with rage. "You can take your son and leave my home if it will let you sleep well at night, but I guarantee you that your problems won't end here. Heiji has already embroiled himself far too deep into this for him to just walk away unscathed." Kaito gestured to Heiji's face. "The bandage on his cheek should be evidence of that."

"Are…" Heizo clenched his fists as his posture went rigid. "Are you threatening me? My _family_?!"

"I most certainly am not, Hattori-san. I'm simply trying to warn you – Heiji's life is in danger. He went into this willingly, and I'm sure he plans to follow it through to the end. You, however, have nothing to do with this other than the fact that Heiji is here. If you don't feel comfortable, then go. No one will stop you."

"Fine." Heizo walked over to his son and grabbed him by the arm. "Come on, Heiji." But the young man yanked his arm free.

"No," Heiji said softly. "I'm not leaving. I have a personal stake in this myself."

"What?"

"Dad…" Heiji's eyes were begging his father to understand. "They murdered Otaki-han."

Heizo was stunned into silence before he finally turned to Kaito. "This is way too big for you, Kuroba-san. You are going to need a lot more than a few illegal weapons to take down a crime syndicate complex enough to infiltrate both the Tokyo and Osaka police departments."

Kogoro nodded. "Hattori is right. We may not have enough manpower. But knowing that the Black Organization is working an inside job means that we can't turn to the police forces."

The Osaka commissioner grunted. "I know my men. I trust them."

"Yes, but so did Otaki." Kaito inclined his head. "Right, Heiji-kun?"

Heiji shoved his hands in his pockets. "…Yeah. He did." Silence reigned.

"Right now," Kaito began, "I'm not asking for the assistance of commissioners, writers, or detectives. If we do this as a team, it's strictly off the book." His eyes scanned the room. "People will get hurt. People may die. I'm not going to stand here and allow you to think that just because I've dealt with these people before, that somehow I can keep you safe from harm. I can't. As much as I hate to admit it, I'm only one man, and I can do only so much." He slid his SIG into a shoulder holster and pulled another gun from the rack in the safe. "Do any of you know how to use a gun, gentlemen?"

"I do," Shinichi said. "Dad and I used to practice at our home in Hawaii."

"Ditto for me," Heiji grunted. "You can't be th' son of a cop an' _not_ know how ta use one."

Kogoro shrugged. "Of course I do. Used to be the department's best marksman."

Kaito nodded. "Good. Everyone going with me needs to carry at least one armed weapon, as well as extra ammo. I would prefer that if you don't know how to use a gun – and _properly_ – you stay behind." Everyone in the room looked pointedly at Yukiko and Kazuha.

Yukiko narrowed her eyes and planted her hands on her hips. "Don't look at me! I can handle a gun just fine, thank you. And I'm not about to leave my son and husband to handle this alone. If one Kudo goes, we _all_ go." She glared at the two Kudo men. "Understand?"

Shinichi and Yusaku gave mock salutes. "Yes, ma'am." They turned to Kazuha, who blushed.

"I-I've never used a gun," She admitted self-consciously. "But I'm good at aikido. Surely that counts for something, right?"

Kaito smiled softly at her. "It does, but unfortunately, we don't need a martial arts master with us. Trust me; you never want to get close enough to a Black Organization member to use it. That means two people will be staying behind." He grabbed a machine gun off the rack and tested its weight, ignoring the strangled choking sound coming from Heizo's direction. "Any questions?"

"Um… two?" Kazuha interjected, looking around. "Who else is staying? Everyone in this room is going."

Kaito looked up. "Oh yes, you haven't been introduced to the queen bee of this hive, have you? Well then… Psiren, you can come on out now. Especially since I know you've been listening in for the last fifteen minutes."

Psiren chuckled weakly as she slipped around the corner. "Oops. Seems like my stealth isn't what it used to be." She nodded once to the other teenage girl. "Hello there, Toyama-san. Long time no see, eh?"

"Oh my god! You look horrible! Er… I mean…" Kazuha blushed as Psiren laughed. "Wait. You're that thief! You're the one who tied me up and stuck me in the janitor's closet!!"

Psiren smiled. "But it was a very _nice_ janitor's closet, no?"

Kazuha stomped her foot and narrowed her eyes. "That's hardly the point!"

Kaito managed a weak smile. "Ah, so you know each other. Even better. You two will be in each other's company for quite some time, so you should begin to get acquainted." He couldn't help but chuckle as Psiren flung herself at Kazuha and gave her a loud, sloppy kiss on the cheek. Kazuha's surprise and disgust was very tangible.

"But I don't understand, Kaito," Yukiko interjected. "You say you want to go after the Black Organization, but… how will we find them? I'm pretty sure they won't be in the phone directory."

"When Aoko and I first married, I implanted trackers on both of our bodies. Her being with me was and still is a heavy gamble on both of our parts, and I wanted to make sure that no matter what happened, we would always be able to find each other in case something went wrong. I was hoping I'd never have to use them." Kaito disappeared into his room only to return less than a minute later with a small device in his hands. He flipped a switch on the side and held it up to all to see. There was blinking light on the LCD screen, accompanied by a small beeping noise. "This is the latest in tracking technology, gentlemen. _This_ is how we'll find my wife as well as the Mermaid's Retribution, if they're being kept in the same place as I hope they are. That way, we can take out two birds with one stone."

Yusaku grinned as he took the device from Kaito and held it gently in his hands. "This is genius. I've never seen anything like it." He glanced up at Kaito. "You continue to amaze me, Kuroba-san."

"Thank you."

Yukiko looked over her husband's shoulder at the small computer. "You did get Aoko's permission to plant that chip or whatever in her though, didn't you, Kaito-kun?" She glared at the magician after he failed to answer. "Well?"

Kaito's expression was bland. "I plead the fifth."

The former actress narrowed her eyes. "You're not exactly in Kansas anymore, Kaito. The same rules don't apply."

"Really? I hadn't noticed."

Kogoro rolled his eyes. "We're getting off subject, aren't we?" Although he continued his attempt to hide it, the detective's gaze continually fell on Psiren across the room, and she felt it. Ran met his gaze and flinched inwardly. Apparently he hadn't forgotten the lengthy conversation they'd had just hours before, and he wouldn't forgive her either. Not for a long, long time. She blushed and forced herself to look away. At least he was keeping his promise to stay mum around Shinichi and Heiji. That might change in the near future, though.

Kaito nodded. "Yeah, we kind of are. Let's get down to business people." He was on the move again, rummaging through his desk drawers for something. He pulled a long rolled up piece of paper out from the clutter and walked over to flatten it out on the coffee table. Everyone leaned in to get a closer look. "According to the tracking device, this is a series of waterways located underneath where the Black Organization's Japanese headquarters – and Aoko - are. The waterways have been sealed for years, but with a little… ingenuity and elbow grease, we can get them back open and get to our enemies nearly undetected." Kaito pointed to the top right section of the map, the tunnels of which he circled with a red ink pen. "Here is the exit. Once we past this area, we're officially in enemy territory. I would like to get to the main offices without encountering any members, but I'm a realist. Shots will most likely be fired on both sides. If you encounter anyone, shoot first, ask questions later. We won't have time for a conscious – if you shoot, you shoot to kill. No one we see is left alive." Kazuha flinched. "Understood?" Five people nodded solemnly.

"How were you able to get all this?" Kogoro murmured, clearly impressed as he rubbed his chin. "If this organization is as far-reaching as you say, then surely you should be dead by now."

Kaito chuckled. "It's just plain dumb luck, I assure you." He gestured to the safe. "Everyone needs to get as prepared as possible. We all should wear dark, durable clothes. I'm afraid I don't have extra Kevlar vests, so I'll give you a word of advice: _don't get shot._" He passed Shinichi a gun and a holster. "If anyone needs to change, you'll find extra clothes in my bedroom closet. We should be ready to go in no later than fifteen minutes, so hurry up." Kaito watched as Heiji slipped a gun in his back jean pocket and grabbed a katana off the rack. He wielded it like a true professional, so Kaito didn't bother to tell him to put it back. He turned to his pupil. "Psiren." The young woman looked up. "You and Kazuha are in charge of holding down the fort until we get back. There's a panic button underneath the fireplace mantel – you remember, right? If you so much as _think_ something's gone wrong, or you go more than half an hour without getting feedback from me, then you push it and get Kazuha out of here. I'm entrusting you two to each other. Watch each other's backs, all right?" The girls nodded. "Good."

Kazuha blinked at the tense atmosphere, looking around as everyone equipped themselves with deadly ordnance. "Uh… Kuroba…san? You sure have a lot of weapons… were you planning on something like this to happen?"

Kaito gave her a soft smile. "Never planning, Toyama-san; but it's always good to be prepared." Even as he said the words, Kazuha knew the man was lying. He had been planning, preparing, and dreading this day for what seemed like years, if his impressive stockpile was any indication. She couldn't imagine living like that… constantly looking over your shoulder, waiting for the other shoe to drop… not being able to enjoy your life because you somehow knew it could, and probably would, be taken from you in an instant. Looking at the people and things you love and realizing that they'd soon be hurt, and it would be _all your fault…_

"What an awful way ta live," Kazuha whispered, but somehow Kaito heard her. He didn't say anything, but he looked at her with such a palpable intensity that it left her breathless. The cool blue eyes held a lot of strength… but was that fear there also? She didn't know the man as well as the rest of them obviously did, but Kaito Kuroba didn't seem like the type to be afraid of anything. He seemed like the kind of person who could look straight down the barrel of a gun and laugh. No, Kaito certainly wasn't afraid for himself. Kazuha could guess that he was afraid for the people with him; the people he respected, and in some cases, even loved. He was afraid for his wife, and for his thief friend who looked like she was about to pass out over in the corner of the room. Suddenly Kazuha felt a lot better about Heiji going on this dangerous mission… Kaito would be a good leader, although he intimidated the hell out of her. As for her…

"I'm afraid for you, too," Kaito murmured, and suddenly he wasn't just looking at her, he was reading her like a book. Could this man add 'mind reader' to his already extensive list of talents? Kazuha didn't think so. She hoped not.

She nodded imperceptibly at Kaito, and the spell binding the two of them was broken. Kaito's face transformed into his trademark casual, slightly cocky expression, and he walked away to do whatever it was that one needed to do before fighting a massive crime syndicate. Kazuha walked over to Heiji with her goal firmly in her mind. She wasn't a FBI agent or a detective or even a mystery writer, _but_… she was a best friend. Sometimes that made all the difference. Heiji saw her approach, and pocketed the Ka-Bar folding hunting knife he had been fiddling with. He looked expectantly down at her.

Kazuha moistened her lips. She motioned to the bulge in his pocket. "Do you even know how to use that thing?"

Heiji looked mildly offended. "Of course I do. Ahou. I wouldn't bring th' thing if I didn't know how ta use it."

Kazuha nodded. "But… you've never killed anyone before, have ya?" She adopted a smug expression. "Sure, you've seen a million dead bodies, but I bet the moment ya draw blood you'll puke yer guts out."

Heiji grew angry, just as she knew he would. "Ahou! Don't tell _me_ what I can an' can't handle! I'll fill those bastards full of holes before they even see me comin'! An' _then _I'll do a little dance on their corpses!"

"You don't really mean that," Kazuha whispered, and Heiji's face sobered.

"Yeah, I don't." He looked down at his shoes. "I mean, I know these guys are bad news an' all, but… a life is a life. An' I jus' don't feel right takin' that away from someone. But…" He shrugged as he gazed at her again. "Ya gotta do what ya gotta do, right?"

Kazuha smiled half-heartedly. "Right." Before she gave herself a chance to think about it, Kazuha launched herself into Heiji's arms. Her friend barely caught her before they both went crashing to the ground.

"K-Kazu'?"

"Just be safe," She whispered, pulling back to look at him. "All right?" Heiji's eyes softened just a smidgen and he nodded, but not before Kazuha noticed his blush and heard him mumble: "Ahou, it takes more than a few assholes in black ta kill _me_."

"I know," she answered with a smile. "But be careful anyway. You've been in messes like this before, an' this time I won't be there to save your sorry butt."

"Ahou! I never needed you to-"

"Uh…are you two quite done here?" Shinichi was standing in front of them, grinning. He jerked a thumb over his shoulder. "Everyone's about ready to go."

Heiji and Kazuha stared at each other for a long moment. Kazuha cleared her throat. "So…"

Heiji rubbed the back of his neck, blushed harder, and looked at his friend sideways. "So…?"

"I guess this is it. Do you have your-" Heiji hooked his thumb into his shirt and pulled out his onamori. "Oh. Right." Without her permission, her eyes watered. "Heiji, I-" Heiji rapped her over the head with his knuckles.

"Relax, ahou. I'll get back to ya in one piece." His eyes widened. "Er, I mean… not back to _you_ in particular, but… ah, ya know what I mean! Stop twistin' my words around!"

Kazuha narrowed her eyes. "AHOU! _I_ didn't say anything. _You're_ the one who's got his tongue in knots! How are ya going to survive a syndicate takedown? Ya haven't even mastered sentence structure!"

"Gah… You're _so_ annoying!"

"I am not! You take that back, Heiji!"

Shinichi rolled his eyes and grabbed his friend by the collar of his shirt. "Come on, lover boy. We've got work to do."

"Who're ya callin' lover boy?!"

Shinichi ignored Heiji as he dragged him over to the back door where the rest of the party was already gathered. The atmosphere was especially tense and solemn with everyone standing there in black or navy with war paint smudged under their eyes. It looked as if they were all going off to war, and in a way, they were. Psiren and Kazuha stood on the outskirts, their expressions wistful and concerned respectively. Psiren was breathing hard and was leaning the majority of her weight against the wall, but her face was an impenetrable mask of strength. Shinichi envied her tenacity, but he was anxious over her condition all the same. "Will you be okay here by yourself?" He asked, his grip still on Heiji's shirt. The other boy was glaring mildly at him, but Shinichi failed to notice. He assessed Psiren quickly. "What happens if there's an emergency?"

Psiren chuckled. "There won't be. I'll be fine, Shin-chan. I'm made of some incredibly tough stuff, in case you haven't noticed. Besides, I have Toyama-san here to watch over me."

Yukiko pushed her way over to her son, though she was looking at the thief. Her face was hard. "Psiren… I've been wanting to speak to you for some time now."

To her credit, Psiren's expression and posture didn't change. She didn't even blink. "I can imagine."

Yukiko folded her arms. "My son died during one of your heists."

"Yes, I know. I was there."

"All this time, I've been blaming you. But… I see that you're not the cause of my distress. Not really. So… I apologize." This time Psiren did visibly react. Her eyes widened slightly. "Shinichi trusts you, and so does Kaito. I trust both of their judgments, which is why I'm here, doing everything I can to help. It won't bring my baby back, but…" Yukiko sighed. "It has to be enough." Psiren sensed there was more to be said, so she kept quiet. "Anyway… I… I just wanted to get that off my chest. Even if the rest of the world blames you for… what happened… Conan Kudo's parents no longer do. I don't know you, so I don't know if that means anything, but… I hope it does." A soft sniffling noise was heard, and Yukiko looked up to see tears pooling in the phantom thief's eyes. The room was dead quiet as the onlookers watched the famous, seemingly unflappable thief break down and cry for what most of them would consider the first time.

"Thank you, Kudo-san." Psiren wiped the tears away with the back of her hand. "I appreciate that. And yes, that means a lot." Yukiko and Psiren shared watery smiles before a man in the back of the room cleared his throat.

"I'm sorry," Kaito said. "But we really need to get going. It's already dark out."

Yukiko nodded, and with a reassuring look from both her husband and teenage son, followed Kaito out into the darkness. Kazuha moved forward into the light of the doorway to wave goodbye, but Psiren stayed far back. _'Probably too risky or something'_, Kazuha thought. She squeezed Heiji's hand as he went by her, and he threw her a confident smile in return. Shinichi shot Psiren one last look of concern before covering it with a smile and fading away into the dark. Kogoro was the last to leave, and, standing in the threshold, he appeared as if he wanted to say something to Psiren before he left, but for some reason couldn't get the words out. Kazuha was just about to slip away to give the two of them privacy when Kogoro closed his eyes, sighed, and strode out into the yard. Kazuha glanced at Psiren in the corner of her eye as she shut the door. She looked disappointed.

There was a lot more to this woman than met the eye. Kazuha had always known Psiren the Phantom Thief through the numerous media venues that covered her story, but apparently those programs were very, very, wrong. The woman who stood before her was neither a cold-blooded monster nor a cunning seductress. In fact, she looked like she wasn't that much older than she was – no more than twenty, maybe. From what Kazuha could see, Psiren was caring, affectionate, loyal, smart, funny, and very, very, tired. Kazuha suspected that if they had met in a different set of circumstances, they could've even been good friends. Psiren stared silently at the shut door, no doubt imagining the battle she had been forced to forfeit participation in as well as the people who were putting their lives at risk right now. Without giving it a second thought, Kazuha reached over and grabbed the woman's hand just as she'd done to Heiji, giving it a light squeeze. Psiren's head snapped up in surprise, but upon seeing the look on Kazuha's face, she smiled a bit. _'Thank you,'_ Psiren's eyes seemed to say, and Kazuha knew she'd done the right thing. Even though she was clearly wise beyond her years, Psiren was still so young. She probably didn't have anyone her age and gender to depend on; to confide her secrets to. Even though she probably _wanted_ to fight crime and find this Pandora gem everyone was talking about, what she _needed_ right now was a friend. And if there was anything Kazuha was good at, it was being a friend.

Because sometimes that made all the difference.

-------------------------------------------

Aoko eyes fluttered open. Wherever she was, it was moist, cool, and dark. She was sitting upright in a hard wooden chair, and her hands were bound by rope behind her back. It hurt like a bitch, but Aoko resisted the urge to freak out. Whatever she had gotten into, she could get herself out of. She'd been through worst, and no matter how hopeless things got, she knew she could count on Kaito. He had gotten them both out of sticky situations before, so she would be a fool not to trust him with her life now.

But first things first – she had to run reconnaissance. She wiggled experimentally in her chair, discovering that the ropes had absolutely no give to them. Damn. These Black Organization bastards didn't fool around. Aoko squinted her eyes and glanced around, but there was no visible light source. The only thing she could hear was the scamper of large rats across what she assumed to be a stone floor, and the steady dripping of water. Okay… so she was basically in a lightless dungeon with rats as big as small dogs. No big deal. She could handle this. She was still alive, which meant that her first hunch was correct and they were using her as bait. That also meant that as long as Kaito stayed far away, she would continue to stay alive. But knowing her husband as well as she did, Kaito certainly wouldn't stay away for long. She didn't know how much time had passed since she'd been kidnapped, but surely Kaito had discovered she'd gone missing and was thinking up some ingenious way to save her. Not to mention he had Shinichi, Heiji, and Kogoro with him. Yes, Aoko's life was in very capable hands. Her head snapped up as a door on the other side of the room opened, allowing bright white light to flood into the room and silhouetting several figures in the doorway. Aoko narrowed her eyes in hatred as they approached, allowing their features to come into focus.

There were two women and two men. One woman was a pretty blond with cold eyes, while the other was a strikingly beautiful brunette with a disfiguring scar down the right side of her face. When she grinned, Aoko could barely keep herself from flinching. The two men were equally as scary, though their physical features were unmarred. Aoko recognized at least one of them from what Kaito had said to her once; the tall blond with the long hair – Gin. The other man was incredibly handsome with killer grey eyes, but Kaito had never mentioned him. Perhaps he hadn't been a part of the Organization when Kaito had been a member… the man seemed to be half their age.

"Hello, Aoko Nakamori," The blond woman said smoothly, her hands clasped behind her back. "We've been _dying_ to meet you. You've put quite the hamper on our plans, did you know that? If not for your interference, Margarita and those two foolish boys would be dead by now."

Aoko sneered. "Good. Glad I could be of service." The blond woman glanced briefly at the brunette, who nodded and stepped forward before pulling back to slap Aoko hard across the face. The detective's ears rung and her teeth snapped closed over her tongue. She tasted blood, but she still managed to glare coldly at her captors. She knew she shouldn't, but she continued to antagonize them. "What? That the best you got?"

"Tell us where Kaito is," the brunette snapped. "Or I'll kill you."

Aoko's chin went up. "Never." Her whole body tensed as she was slapped again. "If I didn't tell you before, what makes you think I'll tell you if you keep _hitting_ me?!"

Gin chuckled. "She's got spunk. I like her." He turned to the brunette woman. "Go easy on 'er, Rum. We need her to be in one piece when pretty boy gets here."

"How did you and Bourbon meet?" Rum snarled. "Why are you helping him? Why would he pick _you_?"

"I'm not telling you shi-"

Rum hauled back to hit her again, but she was stopped by the blonde woman's hand on her shoulder. "This is getting us nowhere," The blonde woman – Vermouth, Aoko remembered – scoffed. "She's a detective – she's not stupid. She knows we're not going to kill her – yet – so why bother wasting the energy to intimidate her this way?" Vermouth pulled up a chair and sat down, cross-legged, in front of Aoko. She looked like a cross between a straight laced politician and a pageant queen, and the thought was so absurd and inappropriate to the situation that Aoko had to bite her cheek to keep from laughing. Vermouth narrowed her eyes at her.

"So," The blond said conversationally, tapping her chin with a long, manicured fingernail. "Why don't we have a little… civilized chat, hmm?" Aoko snorted. "You know why you're here, don't you? You know whose fault it is that you've been kidnapped - Bourbon. Or should I say Kaito Kuroba? Were you aware that the man who you've been spying for… the man that I'm sure you trust and maybe even love… is a former member of our syndicate? A former member of the Black Organization? Were you aware that, by helping him do whatever it is that he's doing, you've really been provoking _us_? Did you know that, Nakamori-san?" Vermouth leaned forward. "Are you aware of what the Black Organization does, Aoko?"

Aoko stayed silent. If they thought she was going to tell them anything incriminating, they had another thing coming.

Vermouth sighed. "We can do this the hard way or the easy way, you know. If you just volunteer everything you know about Kaito and his operation with the Psiren, I can convince my friend Rum over her not to hit or torture you anymore. We'll leave and you won't have to deal with us again until your… comrade arrives. But if you don't cooperate…" Vermouth glanced at the brunette, who pulled out a long knife from a sheath hanging on her waist. It gleamed in the light of the doorway. Aoko's heart started hammering against her will, though she managed to keep her face blank. "We have to keep you alive to use you as bait for the Eagle's Eye, but that means _barely._ We're professional assassins, Aoko. We know many ways to cause the most intense pain without allowing our… subjects to die. I guarantee you, if you don't give us the information we want, you will experience hell." Vermouth interlaced her fingers, her elbows resting on her knees. "Now… I'll ask again. What is your relationship to Kaito? How did he convince you to help him?"

Even though she now feared for her life, still Aoko kept her mouth shut. They didn't know that she and Kaito were married… that could actually work in their favor. If the Black Ops found out just how close the two of them were, they'd waste no time in using that to their advantage. Aoko knew that she was Kaito's Achilles heel. No telling what these people would do if they knew Kaito as well as she did. They'd raise the stakes, that was for sure. For the moment, though, they could only _hope_ that Kaito would show up – a hope Aoko was going to try her hardest to break. "You've got it all wrong," Aoko told Vermouth. "Me and Kaito are casual partners at best. He doesn't give two shits about me. He's only been using me to get back at you guys, because he knew you had an insider in the police department. I'm sure he just wanted to show you how he could outdo you. He wanted to rub your faces in it." Rum stepped forward with the knife in stabbing position, so Aoko continued. "You can torture and kill me if you want, but Kaito's not going to play your game. He's not going to get that gem for you. You're wasting your time, and mine as well, frankly. If he does come – and that's a big _if _– he'll probably just use it as an excuse to get under your defenses and destroy you… just like he did last time."

The tension in the room was so thick then, Aoko could've cut it with a knife. She'd clearly hit a nerve by bringing up the epic fail that was the Kuroba Bombing Incident. These people obviously knew what she was talking about, and they definitely didn't like being reminded. With a loud, furious yell, Rum took the hilt of her knife and smashed it into the side of Aoko's head. The chair she was sitting in toppled over, and she slammed hard into the cold ground. Blood slipped down her face, but she couldn't lift her hands to feel how extensive the damage was. All she knew was that it hurt – really, really, badly. She gritted her teeth to keep from groaning. She would not give these bastards the satisfaction.

"Don't you _ever_," Rum hissed, "_ever_ try to antagonize us again, or I will slice you into pieces. You filthy, filthy _bitch._"

Aoko coughed as spots danced before her eyes. She probably had a pretty severe concussion as well as a bloodied nose. Well, just _great. _"Why not? It obviously worked."

"You're walking on thin ice, Nakamori." Aoko couldn't see Vermouth anymore, but she could just imagine the scowl on the woman's face. "Don't push us any more, or we. Will. Break you. Understand?"

Aoko closed her eyes. "I understand." As long as they were using their emotions instead of logic, she had a chance of making it. Even though it would cost her much more than a bloodied nose, she had to keep baiting them. It was the only way.

'_Please, Kaito… get here soon.'_

-------------------------------------------

Wataru sighed as he massaged his temples. This was going to be a long, horrible night… he just knew it. No good could come out of this investigation Kiyonaga had forced them into. The only thing they would find would be more dead bodies. He shuddered. Despite being in the business for almost two decades, he still really, _really_ hated dead bodies. He'd always had a sensitive nose, and the stench was just _awful_.

But what made his job as a crime scene investigator even harder was when the corpses were people he had known. People he had loved.

He had never been particularly close to Yumi Miyamoto – that was Miwako's best friend, not his – but if not for her, he and his wife probably never would've hooked up. As young officers, they had both been too embarrassed and afraid to ask the other out, though that applied to Wataru more than it did to Miwako. Plus Miwako had still been getting over that partner she had loved who'd been killed – what was his name? Jinpei something? – And no one could ever compete with a dead mean. So Wataru had been forced to wait to win the love of his life's heart over, having to overcome nervousness and the constant interruptions from his fellow officers on the way. Eventually his patience paid off, because ten years ago Miwako and Wataru went on their first date, and two years later they were married. The last eight years had been some of the best of his life, which was why he was more determined than ever to discover who was behind this latest police officer killing spree. Whoever was murdering all these people was threatening not only his life, but his wife's, and he couldn't have that. As if killing their friends wasn't bad enough.

"Takagi. Are you still in the field? Over." Wataru reached down to grab the handheld radio sitting on his passenger seat.

"I'm here, and yes, I'm still investigating. Over." There was a fizzle of static, and then Inspector Megure replied.

"Have you found anything? Because my investigation hasn't turned up shit. Come back."

Wataru chuckled at his boss' vulgarity. "Not really. I'm taking a break now, actually. Scones were half off at the nearby bakery, over." He waited for the tirade that was sure to come. And sure enough, Megure delivered.

"…You're stopping in the middle of an important investigation to feed your face, _officer_? Over."

"Uh… yes? Over."

Wataru could just imagine his boss closing his eyes and breathing deeply before he spoke. "Look, have you talked to Nakamori-tantei lately? I have a few questions about this "inside job" theory of hers. Come back."

"I haven't been in contact with her since our meeting three hours ago. Miwako told me that she called Aoko awhile ago, but she didn't pick up, over."

"Huh."

"What is it, Megure-keibu? Over."

"I just think that's odd. Nakamori has always been good about answering her calls, or at least getting back to you as soon as possible."

Wataru sat up straight. "You think something happened to her? Over."

Megure laughed. "What, you think that someone heard about that information she gave us in the meeting, and now they're gonna take her out? Please. Nakamori is one of the best damn detectives around, and a pretty good shot. She can handle herself even if there _is_ someone gunning for her. Over."

"But when you think about it… all of us could be potential targets. I mean, you were in charge of the forces at the Psiren heist at Beika Museum, and me and Miwako were there. Shiratori and Chiba were in Osaka too, weren't they? And Aoko…"

"Aoko wasn't present during the heist in Beika or Osaka, Takagi. And until just now, she was never working actively in the investigations on the Psiren case."

"But she was in Nagoya, wasn't she? She was the one who mobilized the units when that building exploded, if I remember the report correctly." There hadn't been much attention directed towards the informant because of the severity of the situation, but Wataru did recall seeing an Aoko Nakamori's name on the initial report a week or so after the incident. It had surprised him, but he hadn't allowed himself to dwell too deeply on it. Aoko had her hand in just about everything these days. "But she was on duty that night, so I have no idea why she was two cities away… Over."

"What?" Megure seemed surprised by this information. Apparently, he hadn't known. Interesting. "Call Torisei. Maybe he had her doing some kind of special ops or something."

Wataru scrolled through his cell phone directory and selected Koyo Torisei's number. He listened to the dial tone for six rings before he finally hung up. He clicked on his radio. "He's not answering, sir." He waited while his boss contemplated the situation.

"What about Nakamori's home number? You have an address, maybe? Come back."

"No, sir, I don't have either of those. Aoko's a pretty private person, over." 'Private' was an understatement in this case. Aoko Nakamori _never_ fraternized with her coworkers after work. She did her eight hour shifts without complaint, and then she went home. She never joined the other officers for drinks after closing a particularly hard case, and she never invited anyone over to the house she had somewhere in the suburbs of Tokyo. It hadn't always been that way, though; when Aoko had just joined the force, she had been outgoing and willing and ready to make friends. About six years in, though, that changed. Her information was probably in the records department somewhere, but Wataru didn't have access to it, and he respected the woman too much to invade her privacy like that anyway. Some of the newer officers who didn't know her better considered her to be standoffish and arrogant, but Wataru didn't think that at all. He was one of the top investigators in the city for a reason; Aoko Nakamori just had something to hide. He just didn't know what, and since it hadn't affected her ability to do her job effectively, he wasn't really interested. The department would've known if it were anything alarming.

"Something fishy's going on here, Takagi."

Wataru frowned. "I agree, sir. But we'll figure it out."

-------------------------------------------

Almost two hours had passed since Kaito, Shinichi, Heiji, Kogoro, Heizo, Yukiko, and Yusaku had left the Kuroba residence in favor of justice. To Kazuha and Psiren, it felt more like days.

The first hour or so had been spent in an awkward silence while both girls paced the floor, waiting for something to happen, but not knowing what. As the second hour rapidly approached, however, Ran groaned out loud and took off in a huff towards Kaito's bedroom. Kazuha sat on the couch, watching the woman with curiosity, but too polite to ask what it was she was doing. There was the sound of rummaging, and then Psiren limped back into the living room… with a gun in her hand.

Kazuha jumped to her feet. "W-wait! What are you doing?!"

Psiren glanced up at Kazuha as she checked to make sure the gun was properly loaded and cocked it. "What does it look like I'm doing?"

"It looks like you're doing something you shouldn't be!"

Psiren laughed. "Easy, now. I know how to handle one of these things. Well, at least I _think _I do… Oh well. I guess I'll find out eventually."

"Don't play around with that if you don't know what you're doing!" Kazuha shouted. She ducked as Psiren turned towards her, though the muzzle was aimed at the ground.

Psiren's eyes softened. "I know enough, trust me. Plus, I don't really have to worry about hitting allies; when I go into the Black Ops' lair, I'll be one against hundreds of bad guys. All I have to do is point and spray, ne?"

Kazuha gaped. "You're… you're going to follow them? With a broken arm and god knows how many burns?!"

Ran looked down at her useless right arm, bandaged thickly in a cast. So far she'd been managing all right with the one good arm, but she couldn't handle an assault rifle with only one hand, and an assault rifle is definitely what she needed right now, not this puny little semi-automatic pistol. The burns, however, were basically a non-issue at this point – she couldn't feel any pain if her nerve endings had been burned off. The broken ribs though, would be a big problem. She couldn't move very fast at the risk of puncturing a lung or other organ, so that was going to make things really difficult. But even if Kaito had _two_ broken arms, he still would be able to fight, and he'd win, too. That was all the motivation Ran needed to go in there and seriously kick some butt. The odds were definitely against her, though – she was at least smart enough to realize that.

"Yes," Ran answered, because she realized Kazuha was still waiting for a reply. "I am." At Kazuha's disbelieving expression, Psiren tutted. "You didn't actually think I'd let him leave me behind, did you Toyama-san?" She leaned momentarily against the wall to catch her breath, and then straightened to give Kazuha a half-hearted grin. "Aoko is dear to me as well, believe it or not. She's taken care of me all this time despite me being a thief, and her being kidnapped is my fault as well. No matter what state I might be in, I can't allow someone else to fight my battles for me. If I die, I die trying." Her expression hardened. "Though I would be very grateful if no one had to do any dying today."

Kazuha nodded. "Me too. Please, let me help." Now it was Ran's turn to be surprised. "I know I'm not as good as the rest of you when it comes to these situations, but… Heiji's involved, and I don't want him to get hurt. He gets in enough trouble as it is."

Ran quirked an eyebrow. "You know this is extremely dangerous, right." It wasn't a question, but Kazuha nodded as if it were one. "I'm seriously injured, and you're… you. You know we don't stand a snowball's chance in hell, don't you? At least… statistically we don't. Especially if we're together."

The girl's chin came up. "I don't care. I'm like you, Psiren-san – when my family and friends are at risk, then so am I. That's the way I've been doing things, and that's the way I'll continue to do them. Maybe I can't help out in the same way Heiji or Kudo-san or Kuroba-san can, but I _can_ help. I'll help you. You'll be the brains, and I'll be the muscle." She ignored Psiren's derisive snort. "We can do this if we work together, so please. Please don't leave me here. I'll probably just end up following you any way."

Kazuha's words hung in the air for a long moment before Psiren finally closed her eyes and chuckled, shaking her head. "You know what, Toyama-san? I like you. You've definitely got spunk." She held out her hand. "Let's start over from the beginning. Hi, nice to meet you. Your name is…?"

"Kazuha Toyama. Just call me Kazuha, please. None of this 'Toyama-san' garbage. What should I call you, Psiren-san?"

The thief was quiet for a long moment, as if she had to think hard on her answer. "…Ran."

"Ran? That's a cute name. Not really what I'd expect as an alias, though."

"No…" Ran sighed. What was she doing? "Ran's my real name."

Kazuha had the grace to look confused. "What?"

"My name is Ran Mouri, and I'm seventeen - almost eighteen - years old. I go to Teitan High School, and-"

"AH! I'm not listening! I'm not listening! I'm not-"

"No, stop that, Kazuha! Listen to me. I – take your hands off your ears, please. Thank you." Ran took a deep breath. "I've been hiding my identity for a while now… almost two years. But it seems so much longer." She laughed without humor. "I've been keeping the truth from not only the world, but from my family. From my friends. From the people I hold dearer than anything in the world. I just came out – so to speak – to my father, Kogoro. You just saw him leave. That was probably the hardest thing I've ever had to do, seeing him hurt like that…"

So that was why she had looked so disappointed when Kogoro had left without a word. Ran had needed comfort, and her father, who she'd just revealed her biggest secret to, couldn't or wouldn't offer it. What a horrible thing to do to his daughter, though, considering the circumstances, Kazuha couldn't entirely blame him either. "Why are you telling me this? You barely know me."

"That's just the thing, Kazuha. I _don't _know you, but you're willing to go right into the fire to help our cause. I know you're really just doing it for Heiji, but in the end you're also doing it for us. That's a big deal to me. And, well… I don't want to lie or keep secrets any more. After we take down the Black Organization, Psiren the Phantom Thief is officially retiring. This time for good. But in the mean time, I don't want the web of lies to get any bigger. So I'm not going to lie to you now. You'll have to deal with the truth, Kazuha, because that's all you'll get from me." She turned and walked away. "Let's go."

"Wait! I don't have a gun." Kazuha squeaked as Ran tossed her one from seemingly out of nowhere. "Hey! Be careful!!"

"Don't worry – it's not even loaded, and plus the safety's on. Do me a favor and don't shoot me in the back, all right? I have enough holes in me; I certainly don't need another one."

Kazuha giggled. "No problem… Ran."

Ran smiled. "Thank you."

"Don't mention it."

And together, they walked towards their fates.

XXXXXX

Next time, on **'Don't Play by the Rules': **Kaito and co. maneuver through the waterways and uncover something horrifying; Kazuha and Ran try their hardest to get to their destination intact and alive, and Takagi and Megure uncover one distantly familiar name: Kaito Kuroba. Who is he, and how is he connected to Aoko?


	18. Body of Lies

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Detective Conan.

**Don't Play by the Rules**

Chapter Sixteen: Body of Lies

Heiji leaned over the manhole, shining his flashlight down into the murky water. The smell made his stomach lurch, but the sight of the greenish-gray sludge below just took the cake. "…You've gotta be kidding, right?" He deadpanned, glancing over to the man knelt beside him. Kaito folded his pants legs up to just below his knees and then gave Heiji a bored look. "You want me to wade through knee deep sewage for over a mile? Is that even sanitary?"

"Come on in, Heiji-kun!" Yukiko called from below, waving weakly when his beam traveled over her forehead. "The water's… um, fine."

Kaito stood to his full height and took the flashlight from Heiji. "Like I said before, Heiji-kun, it's the sewers or nothing. You can stay here with the van as a look-out, if you'd like? Although I doubt you'll find anything interesting out here." They each took a quick assessment of their surroundings, which consisted of wide open, grassy fields on all sides and the dilapidated foundation of a warehouse on the right, the innards charred and grown over with weeds. Under a thin layer of smog the navy sky could be seen, the stars giving just enough light to travel by. "Maybe if you look hard enough, you'll find a good radio station?"

"Like hell," Heiji muttered, reaching down to roll up his own pant legs. "I'll go, but that don't mean I have to like it." He climbed down the thin, rusted ladder bolted to the side of the manhole, stopping halfway down to receive the heavy backpack Kaito handed to him. Once his feet were firmly planted on the cement platform beneath the ladder, Heiji handed the bag off to Yusaku and backed away so Kaito would have ample room to follow after him. Kaito slipped the lid back over the top and the sewer fell into darkness save for Heiji's small flashlight. Without the open air, the fetid smell became unbearable quickly. Heiji gagged.

"Keep your eyes on the prize, folks," Kaito chirped, taking the flashlight Yusaku offered him with a muttered thanks. "It might seem like we can't get any worse than this, but trust me, it could be much, much worse than the delicious, rotten smell of decaying rats and wading knee deep through water tainted with human fe-"

Shinichi groaned, covering his nose with his sleeve. "Please shut up. This trip will be a lot more bearable if you do."

Kaito grinned. "Sorry. I forget that I'm dealing with people who are more civilized than I."

Kogoro grunted. "Whatever." He gestured to the path ahead, which veered off into two directions, and the path behind them, which lead off into the undefined darkness. "Which way?"

Kaito pointed. "That-a-way. Might as well jump in now; the platform ends about fifteen feet to your right. Also, stay close to me. Objects in the sludge are closer than they appear." Ignoring the many glares thrown his way, Kaito retrieved his bag, shouldered it, and lowered himself into the water. Unidentified debris brushed against his calves under warm liquid the consistency of molasses. Okay, he admitted to himself as he waded, this was pretty gross. Think happy thoughts, Kuroba. Happy, happy thoughts. The sight of his beautiful, smiling wife – with no bruises or injuries whatsoever – immediately flashed in his mind. An anxious itch formed right underneath his skin. For a craggy old pessimist, when it came to Aoko, Kaito could be bafflingly optimistic.

A rat paddled by, its nose a twitching island while it struggled to keep the rest of its body afloat. Within moments, even the weariest among them had slipped into the water, and so Kaito started walking. He hummed quietly, though the muttered curses and enraged squeaks from behind didn't leave him with much peace of mind.

"_We can't keep meeting like this," a younger Kaito said, leaning his shoulder against the ragged doorframe of his bedroom. Aoko sat on the edge of the bed, watching him cautiously. Her blue eyes glistened under the light of the table lamp beside her. "So what can I help you with, Nakamori-san? I assume you've been following me all this time?" He arched an eyebrow when she remained silent. "Even when I was jogging? And showering at the gym?" When Aoko blushed, "did you like what you saw?" _

"_I'm not here for that." She stood, hugging her midsection. Kaito cocked his head. "I need your help." _

Ah, that's how it always ended up between them, wasn't it? They couldn't be within fifty feet of each other without someone getting threatened, kidnapped, or shot. That was a good thing, he supposed. Kept him on his toes.

"Holy shit!" Kogoro sputtered. "What the fuck is that?"

Kaito glanced up. Dark shapes floated in the water ahead. Dark, _human_ sized shapes. He narrowed his eyes and pointed his flashlight at the closest one. Yukiko inhaled sharply from right behind him.

The skin and hair had been eaten away long ago. By bacteria and rats, apparently – the large rodents scurried over the body with a vicious fervor. The squeaks and shrieks they made were impossible to ignore. Gods, there had to be _hundreds…_

Kaito inched closer, angling the beam of the flashlight further into the tunnel. A dozen more bodies huddled against the edges of the waterway. The further into the tunnel, the newer the corpses were. The rats screeched and dispersed, though the more dominant ones hissed and swam toward them to attack. Kogoro backed up.

Yusaku walked forward. "Don't worry; as long as you don't try to take their food away, we should be fine." He turned to Kaito. "Seems this tunnel isn't as unused as you thought it was, Kuroba-san."

Kaito grunted. "Apparently so. I guess the Black Ops needed somewhere more private to dump their bodies. It means we're heading in the right direction."

The team stood in silent contemplation. None of them were strangers to dead bodies. Finding corpses in a waterway under the Black Organization headquarters was not, in itself, a shocking or overly horrific thing. It did however, raise one very important question: How many operatives would they be facing? And in the worst case scenario, would any of _them_ end up at the bottom of this sewer?

"Well," Heizo said. "I'm beginning to think you're in over your head, Kuroba-san."

Kaito grinned. "Always am. That's what makes it fun." He gestured with his free hand. "Let's keep going. Stay clear of the bodies. And the rats." His nonchalance kept the tension from mounting, but Kaito couldn't help but scan over the faces and bodies of the dead, and send an enthusiastic 'thank you' to the cosmos when Aoko's wasn't among them.

XXXXXX

"Hey… Ran-sa… I mean… Ran?"

Ran glanced over her shoulder at the whispered inquiry. She smiled encouragingly. "Yes, Kazuha?"

Kazuha fiddled with her ponytail. "Are you sure this is a good idea? Seems really risky for you to be walking around out of your disguise like that…"

Ran shrugged and kept walking. "I attract a lot less attention without it than I do with it. The long sleeves will have to be enough. Besides, I couldn't get away with an elaborate costume when I'm hurt like this anyway – makeup would irritate the burns." Kazuha winced at the visual, but said nothing. Instead, she concentrated on an aggressive visual search of the office, lingering on the dark, secluded corners behind desks and fake ferns where bad guys could lurk. Sure, it was way after hours and Ran had disabled the security cameras, but… you never knew. Plus there were still officers running the main floor downstairs. If any of them decided to head up here for whatever reason… Kazuha clutched the grip of the gun hidden under her shirt. Gods, what had she gotten herself into?

"What are we looking for, anyway?"

Ran yanked open a file cabinet drawer and rifled through the folders. "Something. Anything. Aoko was here right before she was abducted. Likely, the officers in her department were the last people who saw her. If we can find out something about their meeting… maybe her next assignment or something… maybe we can go down the list and figure out who may have gotten her."

"But… I thought we already knew that. The… 'Black Organization', right?"

"Well, yes. But no one at the Black Organization knew Aoko was working with Kaito. They must've used a double agent in the police department to figure it out… probably happened a few days ago after Nagoya." Ran eased the drawer closed and headed for a nearby computer. Kazuha followed hesitantly. "We already know the police commissioner is involved, but he's been gone for weeks, so there has to be someone else pulling the strings as well."

Okay, so maybe rifling through the police records wasn't her ideal occupation right now, but Ran thought it made sense. What would be the point of rushing into the Black Org headquarters, guns a-blazing, when her right arm was in a cast and Kazuha was amateur with weapons at best? And more than that, what would happen if Kaito and co. actually _did_ take down the organization, but there were still double agents inside the police department itself? What good would turning them in or handing in evidence do? It was important to get the Eagle's Eye and get Aoko back safely, but they had to be smart about it, too.

Ran turned on Aoko's desktop computer. Cracking the code was easy enough, but finding pertinent information was another story altogether. Computers were Kaito's area of expertise, not Ran's. She understood the basics, but coding and HTML and all that good stuff was enough to make her head spin. "Damn… does she have enough folders? How am I supposed to make heads or tails of this?"

That cast was obviously giving Ran a lot of trouble. Kazuha leaned over. "Um… I could try, if you want?"

With a chuckle, Ran stood over the desk and continued fiddling with the icons on the screen. "I appreciate it, Kazuha, but… you should let me handle it. I don't want to take you down with me if we get caught-"

Kazuha shook her head. It was a cop out and she knew it. "No, really. My Dad's an officer, remember? They use the same models in Osaka." She waited for Ran to move and then sat in the ergonomic chair. She began to type. "Hey, they even use the same system… You're looking for… a roster, right? Then that would be over… _a-ha_. I'm in."

Ran's eyes widened. "…What?"

With a smirk, Kazuha swiveled to the right so Ran would have a better view. "My dad has a laptop with the same set-up." She spun around two times. "He lets me use the internet on it sometimes, but that's only because he thinks I'm not smart enough to find any of his important files. He doesn't know that one of my classmates is a huge tech geek." Kazuha stood up and gestured to the empty seat. "After you."

"I have to say, I'm impressed." Ran sat down. "It should be a cakewalk from here..." She squinted at the bright screen while Kazuha fidgeted beside her. Her eyes scanned the dozen or so names on the sheet - both familiar and foreign – and came up with nothing. "She's… she's not on here."

Kazuha leaned over. "Oh? So she wasn't scheduled on that day?"

"No… but she _was_ here. Everyone else in her department has had their time doubled up for the next month or so, but Aoko… why is that?" Ran rubbed her chin. "If another officer was killed, obviously they'd have to increase everyone's time to make up the slack and investigate, right? There are records for everyone _but___Aoko. And there's nothing here showing time for investigating the string of murders throughout the police department, and I _know_ Aoko is on that team."

"Well, if one of my colleagues was killed and I was on the investigation team for the murders… maybe I wouldn't want just anyone with access to the network to see what I was doing." Kazuha cocked her head. "You said it was an inside job, right?"

"Yes, but no one but Aoko actually _knew_ that. There wouldn't be any reason to hide it, would there?"

Kazuha and Ran flinched as the overhead lights brightened to full power. A soft _'ding!' _from around the corner announced the elevator arriving.

"Get down!" Ran hissed. She turned the computer screen off and then lunged under the desk. Kazuha followed, whispering an apology when her elbow jerked hard into Ran's broken arm. To her credit, she stifled her cry of pain. The two girls lay rigid, their ears straining for the sound of voices or footsteps on the rough beige carpet.

"I can't believe we're doing this." A male – around late thirties, Ran guessed – strode towards them. He had company; someone heavier or slower from the sound of their steps. "I've never done anything remotely illegal in my life. Now I'm sneaking into the office after hours and looking into private computer files?" His voice lowered to an anxious whisper. "What if we get caught? What if somehow someone finds out and thinks _we're_ responsible for the murders? What if-"

"Honest to God, Takagi, why don't you tell the whole city we're here? And turn some of those damn lights off, for God's sake."

_Megure_. That voice registered immediately. The middle rows of fluorescent lights flicked off, leaving only a faint halo around the perimeter. Kazuha huddled further under the desk, her hand gripped on her gun. What she actually intended to do with it if they were caught, Ran could only guess and pray against. _Easy_, she communicated with her eyes, squeezing Kazuha's forearm. Kazuha jerked her chin slightly.

Takagi came to a stop in front of a desk a few feet to their right. "Are you sure you know what you're doing?" Ran stared intently at his brown loafers.

Megure grunted and came to stand beside him. "No, but keep on bringing it up. I work best under duress."

Takagi scoffed. "Was that sarcasm?"

'_What are they doing here?'_ Ran thought. With a pang in her chest she recalled that both Megure and Takagi were in Aoko's department. How unlikely was it for Ran, Megure, and Takagi to be at the office at the same time for completely different reasons? Ran narrowed her eyes. She couldn't and wouldn't believe that these two men were mixed in with the Black Organization, but maybe they were just as concerned about the corruption as she was. Kazuha caught the inquisitive look in Ran's eyes and nodded; she was beginning to connect the dots too.

"Oops, her computer is over there." They moved to stand right in front of where Kazuha and Ran lay. Ran could swear she heard her heartbeat pounding in her ears. Takagi reached over to hit the power button on the tower. "Hey, it's already on. Why'd she turn the screen off?"

Ran closed her eyes, straining to hear the sound of more shuffling and typing.

"Who knows. Anyway, here's her address," Megure mumbled. "She's been living twenty minutes from me, and I never even knew. And here's her home number. Let me see your cell." Several minutes ticked by as Megure dialed the number and waited. "Shoot, no response."

Takagi squawked. "Someone's coming, sir."

"So what the hell are you doing, standing there like an idiot? Get down!"

The two men threw themselves to the ground… and ran right into the girls. Ran didn't think her poor arm could take any more abuse. Megure and Takagi yelped quickly in confusion, but had the mind to scramble under the desk across from them before the newcomer arrived. Megure squinted at them, and then his eyes widened. "_Ran?"_

Ran shook her head. Not now. Megure's eyes darted to Kazuha and then away, towards the sound of footsteps shuffling on the carpet towards them. The sound of _Nanatsu no Ko_ sprang up from a cell phone. A man grunted and answered it. "Hai, it's me." His voice was garbled, as if he had cotton jammed down his throat. He stopped in front of Aoko's desk. Kazuha cringed. "Yes, I'm taking care of it. No hiccups to speak of. She came way too easily, so we were actually kind of disappointed… hold on for a second." With a grunt, the man stooped to lift the computer tower and ripped the cords clean from their outlets. The system gave a whine and then died. He huffed and dropped the case on the desk. "All right, I'm back… no, no sign of Bourbon. The woman seems adamant that he won't show up, but what does she know? She's a bit older, but she's attractive. I bet Kuroba was sleeping with her. I wouldn't have minded getting a taste for myself if that bitch hadn't hit me in the nose."

Racing thoughts filled Ran's head. This was their lead. Somehow, this man was responsible for Aoko's kidnapping. Would it be better to knock him out here and now, or try to tail him? Her eyes met Megure's from across the aisle. They both nodded as they came to a similar conclusion. _Wait it out. Let the canary keep singing. _

The man laughed. "Yeah, that's what I said. Total waste of time. But we've got enough to worry about already, you know? The Boss would kill us if we left any loose ends… guess the badge comes with a perk or two after all. It's going to be a stretch, though, to get them all at once. You think we should spread them out more, just so it seems like a random coincidence or something? A whole team at once _is_ a little bit much, even for us right now." He leaned forward and fiddled with something on the desk - probably untangling the cords and wires so they could be more manageable. He sighed. "I suppose. Once all of them are gone, that'll be it for problems in the PD." Gathering the tower and monitor in his arms, he continued. "Well, I have to go Kir. Keep me updated on her. I'd love to have pictures if you can get any." A chuckle. "Hell yeah, full frontal would be great. Out." He wedged the cell phone in his hands and ended the call.

Ran's body tensed. She tapped Kazuha on the wrist, careful to keep the action hidden from the men across from them. Now or never.

Turned out she wouldn't have a chance either way, because Takagi was edging out from beneath the desk. Her eyes widened as she tried to signal to him – _no are you crazy don't do it -_, but he had risen to his tiptoes and lifted his gun above his head and-

Their canary sensed the shadow against his back and whirled. "What th-"

Kazuha jerked forward and clasped her arms around the man's legs. With a shouted curse, he stumbled backwards and right into Takagi. The computer equipment crashed to the floor.

Takagi hooked his arms under his victim's and held him still. "Torisei-san," he said, narrowing his eyes. "How nice to run into you here."

Koyo whipped his head around. "Takagi? What in the hell is wrong with you? Let me go!"

"I can't do that, sir. We have some questions you have the answers to."

Koyo tensed. A growl escaped his lips. "_We?"_

Megure crawled out from under the desk, muttering a curse or two when his hat fell off. Lamenting the loss of his dignity, he stood up and brushed copious amounts of dust off his pants and jacket. "Torisei-san, what a coincidence it is to find you here, especially since you seem to have the information we're looking for."

Koyo shook his head, laughing. "I don't know exactly what you heard, Megure-keibu, but… I'm fairly confident that whatever it is you want to know, I can't help you. I was… talking to an old friend of mine. No connection to the police department whatsoever." He rolled his shoulders. "But maybe you can tell your subordinate to release me, so we can talk about this like civilized men?" Something moved underneath the desk, and Koyo flinched. "What-?"

"Ran-chan, you and your friend can come out now." Megure slipped his hat back on. "Be careful of the cords."

The look on Koyo Torisei's face was anything but friendly, not that Ran expected anything differently. She and Kazuha were an unwelcome complication to his mission – an unknown variable he couldn't control. Kazuha flinched against his venomous glare, but when his eyes met Ran's, something flickered behind his irises. Before she could question it, the moment was gone and he had returned to his surly countenance.

"Megure-keibu, I can't say I understand your reasoning for bringing… teenage girls to our department." The disdain in his voice grated on both Kazuha and Ran's nerves. "I'm sure Matsumoto-san won't be pleased."

The inspector snorted. "We didn't bring them. Enough wasting our time, Torisei. You know something about Aoko Nakamori, and we'd just love to hear it."

Koyo scoffed. "I don't know what you're-"

Takagi tightened his grip. "Be very careful about what you say. Who is Kuroba? Who are you working for?"

Koyo chuckled anxiously. "I don't know anything. You are mistaken, Megure-keibu. Whatever woman you heard me referring to, it most certainly wasn't her." He sighed. "Gosh, this is embarrassing… the conversation you overheard… it's completely innocent, Inspector. I was planning an office party."

"An _office party_?" Kazuha squawked, her fists clenched. All eyes turned to her, and she blushed. "Sorry."

Ran squeezed Kazuha's forearm. She understood the indignation. This guy was obviously lying through his teeth, but the only way to make the officers aware of it was to give away her identity. Pure hot rage burned inside her chest.

Koyo nodded. "Yes, a party. There's been so much despair within our ranks lately, with the murders and the disappearance of the commissioner… I figured it was necessary to find something cheerful to talk about for once. But I know how suspicious you all are, so I've been trying to be careful." He actually blushed. "As for the woman… ah, let's just say my friends and I have certain tastes. I don't have enough time to pursue relationships, so I settle for the next best thing, if you catch my drift." Koyo fidgeted. "Can you let me go now? My arms are falling asleep."

Takagi let out a strangled cough and complied.

"Kuroba, that cheeky bastard…" Koyo shook his head, a small, embarrassed grin on his face. "He set me up with a girl – Hikaru… told me she was a-" He glanced at Ran and Kazuha. "_working girl_. Turns out she's an accountant, and they went to high school together. Punched me right in the face, as you can see." He indicated his nose, which sported an ugly purple bruise on the bridge. "Just a big clusterfuck. Trust me, it's not something I'm proud of."

Raising his eyebrows, Megure folded his arms. "What about Nakamori? Why are you taking her computer?"

"Ah, she told me to do that. She suspected someone might get wind of her theories since she's been doing some very specific research at her work station. She told me she's not much of a technical expert, so she asked me to clean her drive out for her. You know, to make sure everything's secure and confidential." Another anxious smile and a chuckle. "Can't take a chance if there's a mole here, right?"

Takagi frowned. "When was the last time you saw her?"

Koyo shrugged. "The same time as you, I suspect – right after our meeting a few hours ago. What's all this about? Has she gone missing?"

"She hasn't answered any of our calls," Megure muttered, massaging his temple. "We were worried, but it's beginning to seem as if we've blown things a bit out of proportion. Sorry for the misunderstanding. Like you said, we can't be too careful."

Koyo nodded. "Exactly. Our team members are the only ones we can trust now. We have to make sure we all know who's on our side..." His eyes flicked over Ran again, sending more indignant fury racing through her. "And who should be left out of the equation." He shook his arms out and then reached down to retrieve the computer. Not one of them lifted a finger to help.

"One last question," Megure said. "That explosion in Nagoya. Nakamori was the one who dispatched the units, but she was on duty. Did you have her on some kind of special ops deal? One that would take her three cities away?"

Koyo shook his head. "Not me. It _was_ an awfully slow night – perhaps she was just running errands without thinking." He walked back the way he'd come, towards the elevators, and glanced over his shoulder at the last minute. "If I hear from her, I'll make sure to call you. Goodnight, Inspector. Keep your wits about you." He disappeared around the corner.

Something about that good wish seemed like a challenge. If anything could cement Ran's hatred of the man, it was that.

"Did you notice," Kazuha mumbled, "that he didn't once say Nakamori-san's name?"

Ran grunted. "Probably psychological. He's seen her since that meeting, and saying her name in particular dredges up memories of it. Doesn't want to risk it showing on his face."

"Yeah, he's lying big time. I have a real bad feeling about this, Takagi." Megure glanced at the girls and cleared his throat. Kazuha jumped. "As for you two! What in the world are you doing, sneaking into the police office in the middle of the night? You know better than that, Ran! Where does your father think you are?"

Ran blinked. "Um, well-"

"I'm so sorry, Megure-keibu!" Kazuha bowed at the waist. "It's _all_ my fault. I dared her to do it. I didn't think we'd actually run into anyone…"

Megure raised his eyebrows. "And who are you, young lady?"

"Kazuha. Kazuha Toyama." She rubbed the back of her head. "You see, Mouri-san is away on business, and he couldn't take Ran with him, so I volunteered to stay at their house and keep her company while he's away. It was just me and her, and we wanted to do something… shocking, I guess, but…" Kazuha bowed again. "I'm so sorry. It won't happen again, I promise. And we won't say a word about what we saw. Please don't tell Mouri-san."

A furrow formed between the inspector's eyebrows, but he sighed. "Fine. Seeing as how you've been around this sort of stuff all your life anyway, Ran, I know I can count on you to understand the situation. What happened here stays here, you understand? I don't want you two involved. At all."

"We understand." Ran and Kazuha smiled extra sweetly.

Megure eyed Ran's mottled bruises and broken arm. He opened his mouth, a question on his lips, but suddenly thought better of it and shook his head. "…Never mind. It's better I don't know. I'll see you two out."

The warm night air felt suffocating after so long in the dark, cool confines of the office building. Ran and Kazuha stood out on the empty sidewalk. A taxi cab idled at the end of the block where they'd left it. As far as the driver knew, the girls were still in the hospital at the corner waiting to see a doctor. He'd never seen them slip into the alley and work back around - Ran was sure of it.

She turned to the inspector. "You take care, okay Megure-keibu? It isn't my place to say this, but something about that man seems-"

"Arrogant? Presumptuous? Dirty? Yeah, I'm getting that vibe too. Don't worry; I'll keep my eye on him. You just worry about getting home safely." Megure waved and headed for his car with Takagi. Ran and Kazuha walked slowly in the opposite direction, both silent and pensive. It wasn't until they had slid into the backseat of the taxi and pulled away from the curb that they allowed themselves to speak of what had just transpired. The partition between the front and back sears acted as protection, but Ran still kept her voice low.

"He's definitely the guy we're looking for."

Kazuha nodded, her eyes bright. "And I got that tracer on him, just like you asked."

Ran grinned. Every moment she spent with Kazuha, the more she liked her. "Nice thinking back there, by the way. You're a great liar."

"Thanks. Years of practice." Kazuha reached into her purse and pulled out a pack of gum. After offering one to Ran, she continued. "That Torisei guy sure was… creepy. It felt like he was trying to look through me or something."

And then there was that look he'd given Ran – the one that burned a hole into her mind even now, though she didn't know why. _'It couldn't have been the injuries… it was obvious he couldn't care less. Surprise, maybe?'_

In the end, it didn't matter - there was nothing she could do about it now.

Deep in thought, Ran sat in silence for the rest of their short trip back to Kaito's street. The cab rolled to a stop in front of a house at the end of the block. Ran paid the man generously for his trouble and then scooted out after Kazuha. Once the taxi had disappeared around the corner, they slipped into the backyard and trekked to their destination. Ran's breath left her in a rush as they entered the safe house. Her mind ran a mile a minute.

Kazuha scurried into another room and retrieved a handheld radio. "Shall we?" She clicked it on, adjusted the volume, and sat it vertically on an end table. She plopped down on the couch. Ran eased down beside her.

For a long time, nothing was heard except static. Then, a dull thumping noise. Torisei was walking. With the contact on the hem of his pants, it would be difficult to make out any voices. Soon, though, Ran heard them.

Koyo scoffed. "Don't bother with the fancy stuff, Kir. Give me the gun."

"No way... you think I'm going to let you handle this your way and make things worse? I can't believe you fucked up this badly, Pisco. This isn't just like your usual work - this is a Class-A clusterfuck. The people in the department are supposed to trust you with their lives. You're supposed to be one of their best allies and confidants while their city is in fragments. Now you've got Wataru Takagi _and_ Inspector Megure suspicious. They're going to pursue this, you know. They need to be dead by yesterday."

Ran flinched. Her heart clenched in despair. It wasn't her fault, she told herself. Megure and Takagi's presence had nothing to do with her. They would've been in this situation regardless. Still, since she knew firsthand what the Black Organization was capable of, she couldn't help feeling a bit guilty. Maybe if she had warned them-

"What about those girls?" Torisei's voice sounded bland. "Should I put a bullet through their heads as well?"

"It's obvious they were up to something they shouldn't have been," Kir said. "Of course, I doubt you were smart enough to actually take stock of their appearances-"

"Fuck you, Kir. I did what I was supposed to, all right? This was completely out of my hands. Don't blame me because _you_ have a tendency for the dramatic. You could have finished this debacle ages ago - instead, you made me corner Nakamori right in an office where people could hear. You had us wait weeks while you backed all these people in a corner and got pleasure from watching them suffer. This is as much your fault as it is mine."

"Who is he talking to?" Kazuha whispered, her voice strained. She glanced at Ran. "Do you really think he can find us?"

"I don't know... he doesn't know our names and it was kind of dark, but-"

"So, anyway." Kir cleared his throat. "The girls."

Koyo made a noise in the back of his throat. "Yes... they were teenagers. Maybe sixteen, seventeen. One of them was pretty, but the other was real banged up. Bruises everywhere, and a broken arm. She even had a black eye. Whoever fucked her up, they did a good job."

Kir snorted. "Wonderful. Someone beat us to it. Did you notice anything else?"

"For some reason, she seemed familiar. Like I knew her from somewhere. But I swear, I've never seen her in my life. It was really strange, but I remember it, so it must be significant. I trust my intuition."

"How odd, because I don't."

"Look... she had big blue eyes, long brown hair, an oval shaped face... She seemed like she could be drop dead gorgeous in a few years, you know? But, that wasn't a happy thought at all... it's more like it terrified me. _She_ terrified me. Like she knew some horrible secret about me, or she's some ghost from my past or something."

"It's probably nothing."

"Goddamn it, Fujiwara, I _know_ there's something weird going on here. This isn't a coincidence. What are the chances of Megure and Takagi, and then having these random girls showing up at the same time? And, what's the chance of me somehow feeling _connected_ to one of those girls? I'm sure it's a connection now. It has to be. There's no way. Whatever they were there to do... it has to do with Nakamori and us."

Kazuha paled. "Oh my God... they... how do they know you-?"

"Shh!" Ran leaned across the sofa, staring intently at the radio. She felt horrendously on edge, like the deep voices drifting from the radio weren't voices at all, but the sharp, screeching noise of fingernails on a chalkboard.

"Wait... Fujiwara? JIN Fujiwara? The police commissioner?" Kazuha rubbed her arms, which prickled with goosebumps. "This just keeps getting better and better."

Ran shook her head. "No kidding."

"Hmm. So what do you suppose we do about that, Pisco? Do you remember her clearly enough to pick her out if you see her again?"

"I know I do. In fact, she..." Koyo trailed off. "Margarita."

"What?"

"Holy shit, Pisco... she looked just like Eri Kisaki."

Ran clenched her jaw. If Torisei figured _that_ out… if somehow he connected their presence at the department and her bruises to the explosion in Nagoya – _'No, don't go there.' _That was definitely pushing it.

Jin laughed. "That's bullshit. Margarita isn't dumb enough to walk around in the open after all this time."

"Why not? Bourbon did, didn't he? They're so arrogant, they think they're above us. Well, obviously not." Koyo scoffed. "But she didn't look _exactly_ like Kisaki. If she did, I would've noticed long before now. No... It was a resemblance. Like a bad makeup job, or..."

"You said she had bruises. That's why."

"Maybe. Or Kisaki cloned herself. That, or she's got a sister."

Jin snorted. "Or a daughter."

The silence stretched out, long and menacing. The roar in Ran's ears got louder.

"...Wait," Jin said. "You said she was a teenager-"

"Kisaki is a master of disguise. She could've easily done that."

"Yes, but... think about it. Kisaki would be around forty now. Having a teenage daughter... that's not so farfetched, is it? Did she ever get married?"

"I don't know... if she did, she was real good about hiding it."

"Maybe we should find out, then." Jin paused, and then laughed. "...Never mind. This is bullshit. We have better things to do, like cleaning up your mess."

"Fine. Let's get this over with so we can head back to headquarters." A rusted, metal door yawned open. "Quick and easy. Pop, pop. No trails."

"No shit."

Kazuha glanced over at Ran. Her face was blank. Kazuha reached over, enfolded her hand with her own, and squeezed.

"Time to go," Koyo sung. "I'll take Takagi. He needs to pay for bruising my collarbone."

"Whatever. Fucking baby."

Koyo ignored him. "But let's just play Devil's Advocate. Say Margarita did actually pop out a kid at some time. You think that kid would ever find out what happened to her mother?"

"And do what? Trust me, kids are stupid. They don't know their hand from their ass." A door closed. They walked slower. "...You think Bourbon is actually going to show up? With the Eagle's Eye? Just for some woman he's involved with?"

"Who knows. I hear he sounded really agitated on the phone, but maybe that's just because we outsmarted him. All I know is, it was a bad move on his part. You don't entrust some civilian with the secrets your life depends on. One of them always ends up dead. And the secrets always get out."

A car engine roared to life. Car doors slammed shut.

"I'll say one thing, though - it's always the last person you suspect." Koyo chuckled. "Aoko Nakamori. Of all people. If anyone is squeaky clean, it's her."

"Focus on the job now," Jin commanded. "Just seven more bodies and we can get the fuck out of here for good."

Ran closed her eyes. She was missing something; she could feel it. Something very important. A faint awareness hovered on the edge of her mind, right out of her grasp. Trust… lies… secrets… it was that last exchange that shook her the most:

"_You don't entrust some civilian with the secrets your life depends on. One of them always ends up dead. And the secrets always get out."_

"_It's always the last person you suspect."_

The force of it punched her in the gut all at once. _Suspect._ Ran's eyes widened. "Oh my god…"

Kazuha frowned. "What? Ran, what is it?"

"The ring," Ran murmured. She turned to Kazuha, her cheeks flushed and pupils small. "The Eagle's Eye is in my dad's wedding ring…"

"Oh wow, are you sure? That's really bad. Your dad is probably already at headquarters by now!" Kazuha bit her lip. "But… if even _he_ doesn't know it's there, that means the Black Organization doesn't either, right?"

"We can't take that chance." Ran pulled the small headset out of her shirt and turned her mic on. "Kaito…Kaito! This is important! _Please _pick up."

Gunfire exploded in her ear. "_Ran-chan? This is a _really_ bad time."_

Someone let loose a startled '_shit!' _as the shots drew closer.

"Kaito!" Ran shouted over the din. "My dad's ring! Eagle's Eye!"

Kaito grunted an affirmative. "Got it. Later." The connection closed.

Ran blew out a breath. "Well, I've done what I can. It's up to them now."

Kazuha stood up. "But what about Megure-keibu? And Takagi-san? They said they're heading over to kill them!"

"Well…" Ran's smile was watery. "Guess I'll have to teach you how to use that rifle after all."

XXXXXX

**A/N: **Have you ever taken such long breaks while writing a story that when you finally sit down to write the next chapter, you've completely forgotten everything that happened prior? …No? Well, that happened to me this time. Facepalm. And you know what's worse than that? Having to re-read your own work and realizing how shitty and inconsistent it is. Ugh. Let this be a lesson to you all: _always finish a story before you start posting it! _

**IMPORTANT: PLEASE READ. **So here's the deal: this story infuriates me. I really hate it, and although I'm a raving perfectionist, my perfectionism is not strong enough to sustain me for another seven chapters. SO. That gives you guys two options: one, I can continue from here until I finish, or two, I stop here.

But wait, there's more. I can and will continue if you guys want me to, but the quality will be lower. How much lower, I don't know. Probably on par with this chapter. If I discontinue from here, I can do a couple things: I can write a bunch of short Conan or Aoko/Kaito one-shots to appease you, and/or I can write some kind of epilogue that ties the loose ends with vague flashbacks. One-shots I can deal with, because I love Conan's character and I love romantic drama/suspense type deals. Novel-length fanfics, however, I can't seem to do anymore. I don't have the time or the passion for it.

The poll is on my user page. The choice with the majority by December is the winner. See you next time(?)

OMAKE

First Loves

Shinichi knew something was odd when he picked his little brother up from school. While normally Conan would've screamed "Shinichi-niichan!" upon seeing him and tackled him to the ground, today Shinichi's brother was oddly sedate. He walked through the elementary school gates and down the sidewalk slowly and with his hands in his pockets, his eyes angled towards his Masked Yaiba gym shoes. When Shinichi said his greeting, Conan only nodded once before continuing his perusal of his feet.

"Okay," Shinichi said as they walked together. "I'll bite. What's bothering you, squirt?"

Conan's eyes widened in surprise. "Huh?"

"And don't bother lying, because I know something's bugging you. You haven't said a word since you got out of school." Shinichi raised an eyebrow. "You haven't even asked me to buy you some chocolate yet." As if Conan wasn't acting weird enough, he bewildered Shinichi all the more by blushing. In his seven years as being an older brother, Shinichi had never _once_ seen Conan blush. As a rule, Conan Kudo was too hyperactive and impulsive to ever be embarrassed or ashamed by anything. Sometimes he felt remorse for, say, breaking their mother's priceless antiques or bringing stray cats into the house who tore up and vomitted on the furniture, but even then he expressed his emotions by crying and playing the "I'm-so-cute-why-would-you-ever-want-to-punish-me" card. Blushing simply wasn't in the boy's repertoire, or at least it hadn't been. Shinichi tried again. "Conan?"

"Um…" Conan began. "Actually, nii-chan, I have a question." He stopped walking and turned to look up at Shinichi with an earnest expression. "Shinichi-niichan, how do you know you're in love?"

If this had been a cartoon instead of real life, Shinichi would've been drinking something when his brother said that, and then would proceed to spit it out all over himself in surprise. His eyes would widen to the size of dinner plates and his jaw would drop. To Shinichi's credit, he managed to keep his expression blank as he choked out a strained "bwuh?"

"How do you know you're in love?" Conan repeated. "I mean, is it something only mommies and daddies can do? Like that time I went into mommy and daddy's room and I saw daddy on top of mommy and they were naked-"

"AH! _Conan_! Don't say things like that out loud!" Great, now _Shinichi_ was blushing, and he had the mental pictures to boot. Ugh, he was scarred for life. He covered his rapidly heating face with his hands. "No, love isn't… quite like that. Well, not completely anyway."

Conan's eyes were searching. "Then… is love like what you have with Ran-neechan?"

Oh god, Shinichi wanted to die. Was that Conan's intention? To kill him? Because it sure as hell was working. "Uhm…" How was he supposed to answer that? If he said yes he'd be lying, because although he and Ran shared a close bond that could be considered love to some people, they weren't _in love_ with each other, which had to be what his brother was talking about. Or at least, Ran wasn't in love with _him. _If he said no, he'd also be lying because he had been infatuated with his best friend since they were in the seventh grade. And Conan was extremely astute for his age. He'd figure out that Shinichi wasn't telling the whole truth either way. Shinichi, poor bastard that he was, tended to be extremely transparent when his younger brother was involved. Decisions, decisions. "Well, yes and no. Best friends can love each other, but it's not the same as being _in love_. Being in love is when you… hug and kiss and say 'I love you'. It's different."

Conan frowned. "Well, what if you're best friends with someone, but you _want_ to hug and kiss and say 'I love you'? Does that mean you're in love?"

"Yes, it does." That seemed like the simplest answer.

Conan leaned forward. "Then, does that mean you want to hug and kiss Ran-neechan-"

Shinichi gave a nervous laugh. "C-Conan! Why're you asking all these questions anyway? Do _you_ think you're in love with someone?" Conan blushed harder, which meant the focus was finally off of Shinichi's pitiful excuse - or lack thereof – of a love live. Thank god. "You are, aren't you? Who is it? Is it someone I know?" When Conan didn't answer, Shinichi pushed harder. "Could it be… Ayumi-chan?" Conan shook his head, and Shinichi raised an eyebrow. "Ai-chan?" Conan was silent for a long time before he gave one jerk of his chin.

Shinichi blinked. Well, that was interesting. Ai Haibara was one of the most mature seven year olds Shinichi had ever seen. She was quiet, polite, and surprisingly sarcastic – in short, the exact opposite of Conan. "Really? Huh. Wow."

"So what should I _do? _Mitsuhiko said _he _was going to tell Ai that he loved her tomorrow on the playground, and I got mad, so I pushed him and the teacher gave me a time out and during the time out I realized that I must be in love with her, too! He shouldn't get to love her, Shinichi-niichan! Because I loved her first… I'm sure of it!"

Conan said the words with such intensity in his young eyes that Shinichi had no choice but to believe it. He couldn't help but smile… his seven year old brother had more maturity and guts than those three times his age. Hell, Shinichi was damn near an adult and he _still_ hadn't been able to muster up the courage to tell Ran how he felt. He was actually considering _never_ telling her… why ruin a good thing? Why lose the best friend he ever had over something that was probably just a long-term crush? Why lose his best friend if it didn't work out, or if Ran didn't return his feelings? Yes, Shinichi was a chicken. And for the first time, the Great Detective of the East, beloved by all of Japan, was actually jealous of his first grade brother. Because of this, Shinichi thought extremely hard on his reply.

"Conan… logically, you probably _don't_ really love her…" When Conan's face fell, Shinichi changed his tune. "But… considering that you really like her, I think you should tell her how you feel. But you have to think really hard about it first, Conan… if Ai doesn't like you that way, or you make Mitsuhiko mad, what will you do? You have to think about all the possible outcomes before you decide to take the plunge. And then, if it's still worth it to you, then you take a chance. So what will you do, squirt?"

The young boy scuffed the ground with his toes. "I think it's worth it," He murmured. "I mean, it's better than wasting all your time wanting something when you're not going to go for it, right?"

Shinichi winced. _Ouch. _That one hit him pretty hard. Had he just gotten owned by a seven year old? Yes, yes he had. "That's… exactly right."

Conan nodded, and then grinned. "'Kay… but if I tell Ai how I feel, _you_ have to tell Ran how you feel, all right? We gotta do it together! That way there's no way we can fail!" He took Shinichi's offered hand and began skipping down the sidewalk. "You're good with cases, and I'm good with people. So together we'll be _unstoppable!_"

Shinichi chuckled. Yeah, sure. Unstoppable. For a moment, Shinichi allowed himself to dream – to go back to the times of playground sandboxes, swing sets, and first loves. When even the most embarrassing and uncomfortable situations could be overcome with brimming optimism… and candy. For a moment, he thought of going through with it. What if Conan was right… what could it hurt? Ran would be his friend no matter what, right? "Sure. What the heck, Conan. I'm game."

His younger brother snapped his head up. "_Really?_" Conan bounced up and down. "Yay! So what should we do? Should we buy candy or flowers or-?"

"You don't have to do anything fancy, Conan- just… do whatever comes naturally, all right?"

Conan bounced some more. "Okay! I'll make sure we _both_ get the girl!"

_Three days later…_

"Shinichi…" Ran hissed. The aforementioned teen winced and pulled away from the phone. He knew that tone; he was in for it. Yukiko and Yusaku watched with curiosity from the kitchen table. "What in the world is this package you sent me? If this is a joke, it's not very funny!"

"What are you talking about? I didn't send you anythi-"

"I got a box in the mail today with _your _name on it," Ran mumbled. He could just picture the blush on her face. "And… it had… _things_ in it! Very… inappropriate things!"

Shinichi froze. And _very slowly_, turned towards his brother, who was constructing a castle out of Legos on the living room carpet. Feeling eyes on his back, Conan glanced over his shoulder and blinked the blink of the guilty. "What… what was in this box you got from me?"

"_Shinichi!_" Ran's hissing became venomous. "_**How in the world did you know I wear a size six thong**_?"

Silence. Everyone in the room had heard that one.

Conan withered under Shinichi's glare. "Um… hi?"

Shinichi sighed and smacked his head into the kitchen counter. Yukiko covered her mouth and laughed. "Well, you know what they say, Shinichi - the best way to get a woman to take off her pants is to buy her something cute to wear underneath." Yusaku, suddenly a lot less engrossed in his newspaper reading, wisely declined to comment.


End file.
